Delhi HC reserves judgment on DU's plea over Modi's degree

New Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its judgment on Delhi University's appeal against a 2016 Central Information Commission (CIC) order. This order directed the disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bachelor’s degree details. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the CIC’s ruling should be overturned, claiming it would obstruct the functioning of public authorities if followed as requested by the petitioner. He emphasized that while records could be shown to courts, they should not be exposed to individuals with political or publicity-driven motives.

The Centre also contended that applying the Right to Information (RTI) Act in this way would disrupt public authorities' operations. The case started when an RTI request was filed by Neeraj, asking to inspect records for students who graduated with a BA in 1978, the same year PM Modi completed his degree. Although the CIC initially allowed the inspection, the Delhi High Court stayed the order in 2017.

Delhi University argued that it held the information in a fiduciary capacity, and revealing it due to mere curiosity, without public interest, was unjustifiable under the RTI Act. However, the CIC stated that universities are public institutions, and degree information is a public document. The Delhi High Court's reserved judgment will ultimately decide whether PM Modi’s degree details should be disclosed.