HC rejects plea to seek info on Sonia's religion

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday dismissed an appeal seeking details of the "religion and faith" of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her children under the Right To Information Act, saying the petitioner was trying to encroach on their privacy.

"It is evident that the petitioner is making efforts to make unjustified inroads into the privacy of the individuals even if they are public figure and consequently the information cannot be made public," a division bench of the HC comprising Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Rangan Gogoi said in Chandigarh while upholding the decision of the Central Information Commission.

Former Haryana DGP P C Wadhwa had sought details of "religion and faith" mentioned by Sonia Gandhi and her children during the last census under the Right to Information Act from the Central Public Information Officer of the office of Registrar General, Census Operations, under the Union Home Ministry.

His application was rejected by the CPIO following which he moved the Central Information Commission. He had contended that Sonia and other members of her family were public figures, who had projected certain public image regarding their religion and faith.

However, the CIC too rejected the prayer in year 2008. The information sought by the petitioner is strictly confidential, the high court held.