The Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) regarding a Right to Information (RTI) request seeking details of tax exemptions availed by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Background:
- Kailash Chandra Moondra filed an RTI application in 2021 seeking a copy of the Trust's application for tax benefits under the Income Tax Act.
- Both the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) and the appellate authority of the CBDT denied the request.
- Moondra appealed to the Central Information Commission (CIC), which in November 2022, ordered the CBDT to disclose the information.
Delhi High Court's Decision:
- The High Court, on Friday, set aside the CIC's order, allowing the CBDT's petition against it.
- The Court agreed with the CBDT's argument that Section 138(1)(b) of the Income Tax Act protects such information related to individual assessees (taxpayers).
Precedence and Next Steps:
- This decision aligns with a previous Delhi High Court judgment in January 2023, which protected tax exemption details of the PM CARES fund from RTI disclosure.
- Moondra can still pursue the information through the appropriate channels under the Income Tax Act, as suggested by the High Court.
Additional Information:
- The Ram Temple is under construction in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
- The temple is a highly sensitive issue due to its historical and religious significance.
Overall, this case highlights the limitations of RTI in accessing information related to tax exemptions for specific entities.
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