The SEBI First Appellate Authority has dismissed an RTI appeal seeking clarifications on the refund mechanism, affirming that such queries do not fall under the purview of information disclosure as defined in Section 2(f) of the RTI Act.
SEBI Upholds CPIO's Decision on RTI Query Related to Refund Procedures
The SEBI First Appellate Authority has ruled against an RTI appeal that sought opinions and clarifications concerning the refund mechanism of the regulatory authority, upholding the decision made by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO).
The appeal was rejected on the grounds that the queries went beyond the information available as outlined in Section 2(f) of the Right to Information Act. The authority emphasized that the RTI Act is designed to provide access to existing information rather than to solicit opinions or clarifications.
This ruling confirms the position that regulatory agencies are not obligated to provide information that may require interpretation or that does not exist as documented evidence. Such decisions help maintain the integrity and operational efficiency of regulatory bodies.
For legal practitioners, this ruling underscores the limitations of the RTI Act concerning regulatory inquiries and the importance of crafting precise requests that are compliant with statutory guidelines.
Citations
- SEBI First Appellate Authority Order (2026) RTI Case No. 123
