The Delhi High Court has said that giving judgment on the policy framework of an organisation and directing change of policies are not envisaged under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The observation came as the court set aside a Central Information Commission (CIC) direction to the Centre to revise the present policy for selection of meritorious students under the ‘Bal Shree scheme’.

Justice Jayant Nath quashed the CIC’s November 11, 2018 order to the Human Resource Development Ministry. He said, the directions were clearly beyond the statutory framework and powers of the CIC.

The Ministry filed an appeal, contending that the CIC order was bad in law as the direction given was beyond the scope, purview and ambit of the RTI Act.

The CIC order had come on an RTI applicant’s plea to the National Bal Bhawan, seeking details regarding the age limit for Bal Bhawan membership and whether it was necessary for being eligible for a ‘Bal Shree award’.