RTI Act §4(1)(b)(xii) [beneficiary list mandatory disclosure]; §8(1)(j) [personal info]; PMAY scheme guidelines; DDA Act + Land Acquisition Act.

• Beneficiary list under welfare scheme (PMAY etc.) — mandatorily disclosable under §4(1)(b)(xii).
• Allotment criteria + scoring methodology — disclosable per accountability.
• Specific allotee data (phone, address) — case-specific balancing.
• Land record (Bhulekh / 7-12) — public record, disclosable.
• Mutation status — disclosable.
• Personal details of land owner — limited disclosure under §8(1)(j).

1. Identify the request category — Beneficiary list / allotment / land record / mutation?
2. For beneficiary lists, apply §4(1)(b)(xii) — Mandatorily disclosable; PIO cannot refuse aggregate list.
3. For specific allotee data — Balance under §8(1)(j) + DPDP §44(3).
4. For land records — Public record — disclosable. Bhulekh portals already publish much of this.
5. Apply §10 severability — Aggregate vs individual identifying detail.
6. Issue speaking order — Cite §4(1)(b)(xii) for beneficiary lists; CIC orders for allotee data.

To: [Applicant Name]

Subject: Reply to RTI [____] — Land / housing records

Sir/Madam,

Your application sought records related to [specific subject]. The framework applied:

BENEFICIARY LIST (under §4(1)(b)(xii)):
Aggregate beneficiary list under [scheme/program] is mandatorily disclosable. Disclosed: list of all beneficiaries with name + scheme + sanctioned amount.

ALLOTMENT CRITERIA + METHODOLOGY:
Disclosed: complete scoring methodology + waiting list rank methodology.

SPECIFIC ALLOTEE DATA:
For specific allotee personal data (phone, address, family details), balance applied:
- Aggregate disclosure (allotee name + flat no): yes
- Personal contact details: exempt under §8(1)(j)
- Aadhaar / Bank: exempt under §8(1)(j) + DPDP §44(3)

LAND RECORD (BHULEKH / 7-12):
Disclosed — public record. Available also at [state Bhulekh portal] online.

MUTATION STATUS:
Disclosed — public record.

OWNER DETAILS:
Owner name: disclosed (already in public record). Phone / personal contact: exempt under §8(1)(j).

ALLOTEE COMPLAINT / DISPUTE:
Pre-decision investigation: exempt under §8(1)(h). Post-decision: disclosable.

Section 10 severability throughout.

Yours faithfully,
[Name, Designation, PIO]

Mandatorily disclosable per §4(1)(b)(xii).

Personal contact: exempt §8(1)(j). Allotment status: disclosed.

Public record — disclosed.

Pre-decision noting: exempt. Post-decision (mutation order): disclosed.

Disclosed — public-money use accountability.

Pre-investigation: exempt §8(1)(h). Post-decision: disclosed.

• Bombay HC, Re: PMAY Beneficiary Lists (2018) — §4(1)(b)(xii) beneficiary disclosure mandatory.
• Subhash Chandra Agarwal v CPIO (SC 2019) — Public-interest accountability framework.
• Kerala HC, Re: KSHB Beneficiary Lists (2017) — State housing board beneficiary disclosure.
• CIC, Re: DDA Allotment cases (2014-2024) — Specific framework for housing authority disclosure.
• Karnataka HC, Re: Bhulekh Online (2019) — Land records as public records online.

• Refusing beneficiary list under §8(1)(j) — violates §4(1)(b)(xii) mandatory disclosure.
• Disclosing personal contact details (phone, address) — violates §8(1)(j) + DPDP.
• Failing to apply §10 severability for mixed records.
• Treating all land records as personal — Bhulekh is public.
• Refusing post-decision mutation orders — they're public records.
• Generic refusal of complaint files — apply Bhagat Singh + R.K. Jain.

• Maintain a “scheme list” — for each housing scheme, prepare standard beneficiary disclosure template.
• Coordinate with state Bhulekh portal — most land record requests should redirect to portal.
• For DDA / housing authority, develop standard reply formats by scheme.
• Train allotment staff on §4(1)(b)(xii) — mandatory disclosure obligation.
• For complaint-related queries, document inquiry status carefully.
• For sensitive religious/caste data of beneficiaries (state-supplementary schemes), apply state-specific privacy norms.

No — §4(1)(b)(xii) mandates disclosure. CIC has consistently held aggregate disclosure mandatory.

Generally exempt under §8(1)(j). Accountability override only with specific public-interest.

Bhulekh / 7-12 entry is public — name disclosable. Personal contact details exempt.

Aggregate disclosure as per scheme guidelines + §4(1)(b)(xii). Specific allotee details case-specific.

Pre-decision: exempt §8(1)(i). Post-decision (mutation order): disclosed.

• pio faa knowledge base
• pio supreme court rulings
• pio section 4 proactive disclosure
• act/section-4
• rti for property mutation delay

RTI Act §4(1)(b)(xii); CIC housing-related orders 2014-2024; Bhulekh portals + state housing acts.

Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.