Table of Contents
Tax returns of public servants — Delhi HC
Quick Reply: A person's income-tax returns are confidential personal information; third-party RTI access barred under §8[1][j]. ITRs are §8(1)(j) personal info; third-party.
High Court of Delhi · 2020-01-01 · Citation awaited
ITRs are §8(1)(j) personal info; third-party access requires clear public-interest showing + §8(2) balancing.
Case details
| Court | High Court of Delhi |
|---|---|
| Decided | 2020-01-01 |
| Citation | Citation awaited |
| Petitioner | RTI applicant |
| Respondent | Income Tax Department |
| RTI Act sections | §8(1)(j) |
| Outcome | Rejected |
Outcome
A person's income-tax returns are confidential personal information; third-party RTI access barred under §8(1)(j).
Ratio decidendi
Income-tax returns filed with the IT Department are personal financial information under §8(1)(j). A third-party request for another's ITR is barred unless the applicant demonstrates a larger public interest under §8(2). Post-DPDP 2025, the framework is reinforced.
Keywords
income tax, tax returns, §8(1)(j), Delhi HC, confidentiality
This case cites
- Girish Ramchandra Deshpande v. CIC (SC 2012)
- K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (SC 2017)
Similar cases in the corpus
- Property-tax assessment records — CIC (CIC 2020)
- GSTN / GSTIN data — Delhi HC (HC-DEL 2020)
- DPDP 2025 effect on §8(1)(j) — Delhi HC guidance (HC-DEL 2025)
- Girish Ramchandra Deshpande v. CIC (SC 2012)
- FCRA returns of NGOs — CIC (CIC 2019)
Related
Editorial summary, not a certified report. The ratio here is an editorial compression. Before citing this ruling in a PIO order, FAA speaking order, or any appellate filing, verify against the full reported decision. RTI Wiki is not a legal service.
Editorial summary · last reviewed 21 April 2026.