P C WADHWA Vs. CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an appeal filed against the judgment of learned Single Judge dated 29.7.2009, dismissing the writ petition filed by the petitioner-appellant for quashing the order dated 28.12.2006 whereby the Central Information Commission had declined the prayer to supply information in respect of certain public figures, demanded by the petitioner.

(2.) The petitioner-appellant had moved an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 to respondent No. 3 i.e. Registrar General, Census Operations, New Delhi, seeking information regarding certain individuals, which according to him are the leaders of the nation and the information regarding their religion was sought in public interest. The said request for supplying the information was declined on 7.2.2006 by the respondent No. 3 on the ground that no person had a right to inspect any book, register or record made by a Census Officer in the discharge of his duty as such or any item under Section 10 of the Act. On 9.5.2006, the petitioner-appellant challenged that order before the higher officer, who vide order dated 9.5.2006, rejected the prayer by holding that for preparing census, facts are collected from individuals in a household, which are confidential in nature and used only for statistical purposes. On the basis of the above findings, the petitioner's request for supplying information was dismissed. This order was challenged before the Central Information Commission by filing an appeal which was also dismissed vide order dated 28.12.2006. That order was sought to be reviewed by the petitioner-appellant and review application was also dismissed vide order dated 26.3.2008 by the Central Information Commission.

(3.) A reading of the order dated 28.12.2006 would go to show that the request of the petitioner was declined by the authority in view of the provisions of Section 15 of the Census Act, 1948 which reads as follow: