PM Modi degree row: Arvind Kejriwal moves Gujarat High Court with appeal against quashing of CIC order
The CIC order had directed Gujarat University to “search for information” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degrees.
2 min read
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (PTI/File Photo)Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal has moved the Gujarat High Court appealing against the quashing of a Central Information Commission (CIC) order that directed Gujarat University to “search for information” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degrees.
On March 31, a single-judge bench of Justice Biren Vaishnav quashed and set aside the CIC order on the ground that the educational degrees of a student fall under the exemption of disclosure of personal information granted under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The appeal came after Justice Vaishnav rejected Kejriwal’s review plea in November.
Justice Vaishanav had held that the CIC “transgressed its jurisdiction” and “embarked into an arena of political thicket and ventured into judicial activism on being overwhelmed by the fact that the information is sought by a citizen occupying the post of Chief Minister and thus is liable to be disclosed”.
The court had termed the CIC’s order as a “fishing and roving enquiry” and had also imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on Kejriwal, who had requested the information on PM’s degrees under the RTI Act.
Appealing against the March order and listed before the bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee on Thursday, Kejriwal’s counsel, advocate Aum Kotwal, sought time, citing the unavailability of senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who will argue on behalf of Kejriwal.
Following consent for a later listing date from the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing on behalf of the varsity and was present in the courtroom, the bench posted the matter for the next hearing on January 11.
You May Like
