Madras High Court Clarifies RTI Information Isn’t Automatically an Official Document

The Madras High Court held that information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act does not automatically qualify as an official document.

The Court explained that while RTI information is publicly accessible, it does not carry the same authentication or evidentiary value as an officially issued document unless properly certified.

The Court noted that since the information was lawfully disclosed and already in the public domain, pasting it on a company’s notice board did not violate standing orders.

This distinction is crucial for determining the admissibility and legal weight of RTI-based information in proceedings.

[The Manager v Aron K Thiraviaraj]