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CIC Sends RBI–Bank RTI Dispute to Larger Bench With Disclosure on Hold

The panel will weigh banks’ confidentiality claims against a 2015 Supreme Court ruling that treats supervisory records as disclosable in the public interest.

Overview

  • Bank of Baroda, RBL Bank, Yes Bank and State Bank of India appealed after the RBI deemed NPAs, defaulters’ lists, inspection reports and penalty documents disclosable under the RTI Act.
  • Information Commissioner Khushwant Singh Sethi issued interim orders referring the consolidated cases to a larger bench and staying release of the records pending final decisions.
  • The RBI relies on the Jayantilal N. Mistry precedent, asserting no fiduciary relationship with banks and noting exempt details have been severed under Sections 8 and 10.
  • Bank of Baroda has also petitioned the Supreme Court seeking reconsideration of Jayantilal N. Mistry in a matter involving documents on a ₹4.34 crore penalty.
  • RTI applicants sought the top 100 NPAs and willful defaulters of Yes Bank, inspection reports for SBI and RBL Bank, and SBI show-cause notices and enforcement actions from April 2015.