Description

SEBI's Appellate Authority dismissed RTI appeal filed by Nitin Goradia as his query sought clarification/opinion rather than information under RTI Act.

Summary

The SEBI Appellate Authority dismissed RTI Appeal No. 6458 of 2025 filed by Nitin Goradia against the Chief Public Information Officer (CPIO) of SEBI Mumbai. The appellant’s query “Why do SEBI employees have allergy to putting their policy in writing?” was ruled to be seeking clarification/opinion rather than information as defined under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005. The Authority noted that the appellant had previously filed 6 RTI applications with similar grievances and has been sending repetitive emails to SEBI officials despite the availability of the SCORES investor grievance redressal portal.

Key Points

  • Appeal filed on June 27, 2025 against CPIO’s response dated June 27, 2025 to RTI application from June 17, 2025
  • Original query was deemed interrogative and seeking opinion rather than factual information
  • Appellant has history of 6 previous RTI applications with SEBI, all dismissed for similar reasons
  • Authority cited Central Information Commission precedent in Laxman Prasad Kayal vs. CPIO, State Bank of India case
  • Appellant appears to have underlying grievance against SEBI officials regarding handling of complaints against his depository participant
  • SEBI’s SCORES portal available for investor grievance redressal but appellant chose repetitive email approach

Regulatory Changes

No regulatory changes introduced. This is an administrative ruling on RTI application scope and proper use of information access mechanisms.

Compliance Requirements

No new compliance requirements. The order reinforces that RTI applications must seek specific information rather than opinions or clarifications, and grievances should be filed through appropriate channels like SCORES portal.

Important Dates

  • RTI Application filed: June 17, 2025
  • CPIO Response: June 27, 2025
  • Appeal filed: June 27, 2025
  • Order date: Not explicitly mentioned but document dated 2025

Impact Assessment

Minimal market impact. This administrative ruling clarifies proper use of RTI mechanisms and reinforces that grievances should be channeled through established investor protection portals like SCORES rather than repetitive RTI applications seeking opinions. The case highlights SEBI’s systematic approach to handling vexatious or improper RTI requests while maintaining transparency obligations.

Impact Justification

Administrative RTI appeal with no market impact or regulatory changes affecting trading or compliance