Indian Court Says Census Information On Religion of Public Figures Is Confidential

In India, the Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday ruled that the 2005 Right to Information Act does not authorize disclosure of the religion that an individual listed on his or her census form. Law et al News reports that  the case grew out of a request by an individual for information about the religion listed by United Progressive Alliance Party leader Sonia Gandhi and her family members. Section 15 of the Census Act of 1948 protects the confidentiality of census records. The court held that the later Right to Information Act did not change that protection because the RTI Act excludes from disclosure information that has no relationship to any public activity or interest. The court rejected the argument that disclosure of information about the religion of leaders of the nation is in the public interest.