Delhi High Court blocks disclosure of Prime Minister’s foreign travel details

The Delhi High Court has set aside a Central Information Commission (CIC) order that required the Indian Air Force to disclose details regarding the foreign visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor, Manmohan Singh.

The information sought by a Right to Information (RTI) activist included sensitive data from Special Foreign Returns (SFR) - II, covering the period between April 2013 and June 2018. This data included specifics on aircraft, aircrew, passengers, and the names of accompanying security personnel.

Justice Amit Mahajan ruled that the disclosure could compromise national security and the physical safety of the Prime Minister. The court noted that while public funds were used for these trips, the expenditure alone does not constitute a sufficient public interest to outweigh the security risks involved. The court upheld the Air Force's invocation of exemptions under the RTI Act to protect sensitive security arrangements.