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ARTICLE · 11 MARCH 2025

Litigation Update | Delhi High Court Upholds Privacy Protection For Passport Data

Mansukhlal Hiralal & Company
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The Delhi High Court's recent ruling in Rakesh Kumar vs. Central Public Information Officer & Anr. reaffirms the privacy rights of individuals by restricting the disclosure of passport details to third parties.

IndiaPrivacy
Bhushan Shah
Bhushan Shah
Sayali Puri
Sayali Puri
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The Delhi High Court's recent ruling in Rakesh Kumar vs. Central Public Information Officer & Anr. reaffirms the privacy rights of individuals by restricting the disclosure of passport details to third parties. This case highlights the limitations of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, in relation to personal data and strengthens legal safeguards against unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Background of the Case

The case originated when Rakesh Kumar filed an RTI application requesting passport details of certain individuals from the Regional Passport Office, Mumbai. The authorities denied the request, citing Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, which exempts personal information from disclosure. Dissatisfied with this response, Kumar pursued legal action, arguing that the information should be made available in the interest of transparency.

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