Can’t withhold routine administrative information under RTI: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has held that routine administrative information cannot be withheld under the Right to Information (RTI) Act unless it falls within the exemptions under Section 8, directing the high court registry to disclose details relating to its Party-In-Person Committee while withholding only the details of the members’ conduct.Justice M Dhandapani was on July 27 hearing a writ petition filed by the high court registrar general challenging a 2023 order of the Tamil Nadu Information Commission which directed the high court registry to furnish information sought by an RTI applicant relating to the Party-in-Person Committee and the administrative committee of the high court.“So long as there is no conflicting interest and the security and safety is not jeopardized, the citizens are