Personal information of an assessee is ordinarily exempt under RTI unless larger public interest compels disclosure.
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....Income tax returns, assessment details and related financial records constitute 'personal information' under the RTI Act and are ordinarily protected against disclosure, subject to a qualified exception where larger public interest overrides the exemption. The relationship between the tax authority and an assessee has fiduciary characteristics for these records, reinforcing confidentiality. A disclosure direction issued without applying the larger public interest test is invalid. The RTI Act is not the appropriate mechanism for obtaining a spouse's tax records in maintenance proceedings; the correct remedy is to seek production through the competent matrimonial court which may direct the tax authority to produce records.....
TaxTMI