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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(RTI judicial records, court RTI, judicial transparency, Khanapuram Gandaiah, judicial RTI 2026)
+metatag-description=(RTI on judicial records — what is and isn't disclosable. The Gandaiah-Bandopadhyay-CJI 2019 trilogy and where the line sits in 2026.)}}
+====== Judicial RTI — what citizens can and cannot get from courts in 2026 ======
+{{:social:auto:rti-for-judicial-records-current-state.png?direct&1200 |Judicial RTI — what citizens can and cannot get from courts in 2026 — RTI Wiki}}
+The Supreme Court's position on RTI to itself has evolved through three landmark rulings. Here's where it stands today.
+===== The trilogy =====
+  - **Khanapuram Gandaiah (2010)** — RTI cannot demand **reasons for judicial decisions**; reasoning is in the order itself.
+  - **Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011)** — examination answer-scripts are "information"; foundational disclosure principle.
+  - **CPIO Supreme Court v. Subhash Chandra Agrawal (2019)** — **CJI office is a "public authority"**; disclosure subject to three-step test (motive, public interest, privacy).
+===== What is disclosable today =====
+  * Court statistics, pendency, case-disposal data.
+  * Judicial appointments process (post-decisional).
+  * Asset declarations of judges (subject to test).
+  * Administrative side circulars and decisions.
+  * Court infrastructure spending.
+===== What is not disclosable =====
+  * Judicial reasoning beyond the order — Gandaiah bar.
+  * Note files of collegium pre-decision.
+  * Identity of parties in sealed matters.
+  * Judges' personal financial records (full).
+===== Practical drafting for judicial RTI =====
+  - File to **Registrar (Administrative)**, not the judge.
+  - Frame as "**administrative side**" information.
+  - Cite **Bandopadhyay + 2019 CJI ruling** for disclosure prima facie; rely on three-step test.
+  - For pendency/listing, **eCourts portal** often suffices without RTI.
+===== High Court RTI =====
+Most HCs have separate RTI rules; some have set higher fees (Delhi HC: Rs. 50). Check the specific HC website before filing.
+===== Sources =====
+  - Khanapuram Gandaiah (2010). Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011). CPIO Supreme Court v. SCA (2019).
+  - Court rules of HCs.
+//Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.//
+{{tag>blog judicial-rti supreme-court CJI Gandaiah Bandopadhyay collegium}}