Delhi HC refuses to prepone hearing of RTI case related to PM Modi's Graduation Degree

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The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to prepone the hearing of a case related to RTI information on Prime Minister Modi's Graduation Degree. The court has listed the matter for hearing on October 13. An application seeking early hearing on the plea moved by Delhi University challenging Central Information Commission's (CIC's) 2016 direction to allow inspection of records.

Justice Subramonium Prasad refused to grant an early hearing on the petition moved by the University challenging an order passed by the Central Information Commissioner (CIC). The CIC had directed the University to allow inspection of records related to students of the BA Course of the year 1978.

PM Modi is also stated to have passed the BA of Delhi University examination in 1978. The order passed by the CIC was stayed by the High Court in January 2017.

However, the High Court issued the early hearing application moved by the RTI Activist Neeraj Kumar. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde appeared for the applicant and submitted that the matter requires an early hearing as it has been pending for a long time.

Justice Prasad refused to grant an early hearing and said, "The matter is listed in October. Take it from me, it will be disposed of then, provided I continue in the roster. It does not impress why it (preponing) should be done."

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The bench issued notice on the application on the date already fixed in the matter.

The applicant had filed an RTI application seeking a record of the results of the students of DU who appeared in the BA examination in 1978. He also sought their other details like roll number, name, marks and results of the exam.

This information was denied by the University on the ground that it is related to a third party. Neeraj Kumar had challenged the order of the university. The CIC had passed an order directing the university to allow the inspection of records.

It said that the information sought is available in the university's private register, a public document. The University had challenged this order before the Delhi High Court. (ANI)