Mass-surveillance policy transparency — Delhi HC
Quick Reply: Intelligence/surveillance agency operational records protected via §24 notification + §8[1][a]. IB, R&AW, NTRO operational surveillance records: §24 + §8(1)(a).
High Court of Delhi · 2022-01-01 · Citation awaited
Intelligence/surveillance agency operational records protected via §24 notification + §8[1][a]. IB, R&AW, NTRO operational surveillance records: §24 + §8(1)(a).
IB, R&AW, NTRO operational surveillance records: §24 + §8(1)(a) exempt — not accessible via RTI.
Case details
| Court | High Court of Delhi |
|---|---|
| Decided | 2022-01-01 |
| Citation | Citation awaited |
| Petitioner | Civil-rights organisation |
| Respondent | MHA / Intelligence agencies |
| RTI Act sections | §8(1)(a), §24 |
| Outcome | Rejected |
Outcome
Intelligence/surveillance agency operational records protected via §24 notification + §8(1)(a).
Ratio decidendi
Intelligence Bureau, R&AW, NTRO and similar notified agencies are §24 exempt organisations. Their operational surveillance practices, target lists, and tradecraft are protected. Only allegations of corruption or human-rights violations qualify for the §24 proviso — and even then via a controlled approval path.
Keywords
surveillance, IB, R&AW, §24, §8(1)(a)
Similar cases in the corpus
- Police public-relation / RTI-application data — Delhi HC (HC-DEL 2021)
- §24 proviso — corruption complaint — Bombay HC (HC-BOM 2018)
- CBI exemption under §24 — Delhi HC (HC-DEL 2013)
- CBI closure reports — CIC (CIC 2020)
- Armed-forces service records — Delhi HC (HC-DEL 2017)
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.