Authority: Appellate Authority under the RTI Act, Securities and Exchange Board of India
Order Date: August 21, 2026
Case Overview
The appellant, Prakash Singh, filed an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005, on July 11, 2026, seeking specific details about the recruitment process for Grade A Legal Officers at SEBI. The queries sought: 1) The number of vacant positions for Grade A Legal Officer, 2) Whether an examination would be conducted in 2026 and the notification date, 3) The number of vacancies to be released, and 4) Any changes to the exam pattern and syllabus.
The CPIO, SEBI, Mumbai, responded on July 27, 2026, stating that the queries were in the form of seeking clarification or opinion and could not be construed as 'information' as defined under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act. The CPIO added that vacancies arise due to promotions, resignations, and retirements and that SEBI undertakes recruitment exercises periodically, with details published on its website.
The appellant filed an appeal (No. SEBIH/A/E/26/00278) on July 27, 2026, on the ground that he was provided incomplete, misleading, or false information.
The Appellate Authority, after perusing the application, response, and appeal, concluded that the queries were indeed in the nature of seeking clarification, opinion, or confirmation. It ruled that such queries do not fall under the definition of 'information' in the RTI Act, and therefore, the CPIO had no obligation to provide a response. The authority cited a precedent from the Central Information Commission (Azad Singh vs. CPIO, Oriental Insurance Company Limited) to support its decision, noting that a CPIO is not supposed to create, interpret, or compile information as desired by an appellant.
Final Outcome
The appeal was dismissed. The decision of the CPIO, SEBI, was upheld, and no further action was required.
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