New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Thursday fixed September 29 for hearing appeals seeking disclosure of details relating to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bachelor's degree, after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi University, sought an earlier date.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing appeals challenging a single-judge order that had set aside a Central Information Commission (CIC) direction for disclosure of records concerning Modi's educational qualification.
At the outset, a passover was sought on behalf of the appellants.
Mehta said the matter could be heard on another day and requested an early date. The Bench, however, said the matter would be taken up on September 29.
The Solicitor General again requested whether an earlier date could be given, following which the Bench said it had checked its calendar.
The appeals have been filed by RTI activist Neeraj, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh and advocate Mohd Irshad.
The matter arises from a single-judge judgment passed on August 25, 2025, which set aside the CIC's order directing disclosure of records relating to Modi's bachelor's degree.
The single judge had held that merely because a person holds public office, it does not mean that all personal information concerning him automatically becomes subject to public disclosure. The court had also ruled out any "implicit public interest" in the information sought.
The court had observed that the Right to Information Act was enacted to promote transparency in government functioning and not to provide "fodder for sensationalism".
The proceedings originated from an RTI application filed by Neeraj. Pursuant to the application, the CIC on December 21, 2016, had permitted inspection of records of students who cleared the BA examination in 1978, the year Modi is stated to have passed the examination.
The single judge had passed a common judgment in six petitions, including Delhi University's challenge to the CIC direction.
Delhi University had sought the setting aside of the CIC order, while stating that it had no objection to producing the relevant records before the court.
The single judge had also held that educational qualifications were not a statutory requirement for holding public office or discharging official responsibilities.
The court observed that the position could have been different if educational qualifications had been prescribed as a prerequisite for eligibility to a particular public office.
The single judge had further termed the CIC's approach "thoroughly misconceived" while setting aside its direction.
The matter will now come up before the Division Bench on September 29 for further hearing on the appeals challenging the single-judge judgment. (ANI)
Delhi HC fixes September 29 hearing on appeals seeking PM Modi's degree details
