The Uttarakhand State Information Commission has ruled that information cannot be denied under the Right to Information Act merely because a matter is related to a court case. While hearing the Badrinath–Kedarnath Dham QR code case, the commission made it clear that the pendency of a case in court does not automatically bar disclosure of information under RTI provisions.
The commission also issued a warning to the Public Information Officer of Badrinath Kotwali, directing that in future, information should not be withheld by citing court proceedings without valid legal grounds.
Information Commissioner Kushla Nand stated that if an investigation has already been completed, information cannot be withheld solely on the basis that the matter is under judicial consideration. Under the RTI Act, information can be denied only if there is a specific court order restricting disclosure or if releasing the information would adversely affect an ongoing investigation or prosecution.
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The case relates to QR codes installed at Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines in 2023. Following the commission’s decision, former Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee chairman Ajendra Ajay expressed satisfaction with the ruling and demanded a high-level investigation into the entire matter.
