LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that the right to information (RTI) does not extend to protecting legitimate privacy interests, allowing public authorities to withhold information that violates individual privacy.
The decision came in an Intra Court Appeal (ICA) filed by a citizen, Shahbaz, who challenged a single bench verdict that had set aside an earlier Punjab Information Commission order directing the Excise & Taxation Department to disclose taxpayer information.
The court noted that the appellant sought disclosure of taxpayers’ names and details of their individual properties. However, sharing such information requires clear consent from the individuals concerned; otherwise, the request can be refused under Section 13(1)(b) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act.
The LHC upheld the single bench’s decision in favour of the Excise & Taxation Department, stating that the Punjab Information Commission exceeded its jurisdiction in ordering the release of personal taxpayer data.
The court dismissed the ICA and imposed a special cost of Rs 1 million on the appellant, directing it be recovered in favour of the respondent department.
In its ruling, the court emphasized that the RTI law is designed to promote government transparency and accountability by granting citizens access to public information. However, it clarified that privacy protections apply to personal details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, family information, medical records, and financial status, which are safeguarded under existing laws.
