Description

SEBI appellate authority upholds denial of RTI request seeking personal information of employee including nomination details and pension benefits.

Summary

SEBI’s appellate authority dismissed RTI Appeal No. 6460 of 2025 filed by Akankshya, upholding the denial of information requests seeking personal details of a SEBI employee including nomination forms, pension benefit details, and internal correspondence. The appeal was rejected on grounds that the information constitutes personal data exempt under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act and would cause unwarranted invasion of privacy.

Key Points

  • Appellant sought copies of internal SEBI correspondence, employee nomination forms, and pension benefit details
  • SEBI denied the request citing privacy exemptions under RTI Act Section 8(1)(e), 8(1)(j)
  • Appellate authority upheld the denial, referencing Supreme Court precedent on personal information protection
  • Information requested related to third party employee’s personal and confidential details
  • Appeal was decided based on existing records without additional proceedings

Regulatory Changes

No regulatory changes introduced. This is an administrative decision interpreting existing RTI Act provisions regarding personal information exemptions.

Compliance Requirements

  • RTI requests seeking personal information of third parties will continue to be denied under privacy exemptions
  • SEBI maintains position that employee personal details including nominations and pension information are protected
  • Requesters must establish legitimate interest and direct relevance to access personal information

Important Dates

  • Original RTI application: May 26, 2025
  • SEBI response: June 13, 2025
  • Appeal filed: June 28, 2025
  • Appeal decision: July 2025

Impact Assessment

This decision has no direct impact on securities markets or trading operations. It reinforces SEBI’s privacy protection policies for employee personal information under RTI framework. The ruling establishes precedent for denying similar requests seeking confidential employee details without legitimate public interest justification.

Impact Justification

Administrative RTI appeal with no direct market impact or regulatory changes affecting securities operations