Gujarat High Court: The Gujarat high court on Friday ruled that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) need not furnish the degree and post-graduate degree certificate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A single-judge bench of Justice Biren Vaishnav set aside the order of the Chief Information Commission (CIC) directing the public information officer (PIO) of PMO and the PIOs of Gujarat University and Delhi University to furnish details of Modi’s graduate and postgraduate degrees.
Arvind Kejriwal Fined
The Gujarat High Court also fined Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ₹ 25,000 for asking for these details. Mr. Kejriwal has to deposit the money with the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority within four weeks.
Reacting to the order and the fine, Mr Kejriwal tweeted: "Does the country not have the right to know how educated their Prime Minister is? They vehemently opposed revealing his degree in court. Why? And the person asking to see the degree will be fined? What is happening? An uneducated or less educated PM is dangerous for the country."
Background
In 2016, responding to a Right to Information (RTI) request, the Central Information Commission directed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Gujarat University and Delhi University to furnish information on PM Modi’s graduation and post-graduation degrees. The Gujarat University challenged the order before the High Court.
PM Modi’s election documents say he graduated from Gujarat University in 1978 and completed his Master’s degree from Delhi University in 1983.
What Solicitor General said?
Last month, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued during hearings that the university should not be compelled to disclose this information.
"In a democracy, there won't be a difference if a person holding the office is a doctorate or an illiterate. Also, there is no public interest involved in this issue. Even his privacy is affected," the top government lawyer had said, insisting that the information on the PM's degrees had no bearing on his role. "We cannot be asked to furnish the information to satisfy someone's childish and irresponsible curiosity," Mr Mehta said.