Bombay High Court Rules SEBI Must Follow RTI Section 11 Before Disclosing Third-Party Information

The Bombay High Court held that third-party information under Section 11 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be disclosed without following due procedure.

The Court emphasised that if the information relates to or was provided by a third party and is treated as confidential, the Public Information Officer must seek the third party’s views before disclosure. 

The case involved a dispute over seeking information about SEBI's appointment of public interest directors (PIDs) and inspection reports of institutions like BSE, NSE, and MCX.

The Court reiterated that procedural safeguards under Section 11 are mandatory to balance transparency with the protection of privacy and confidential information. ((SEBI v. CIC & Ors)