Office of Chief Justice within RTI Act, rules SC, but conditions apply

Top court cautions that the Right to Information Act cannot be used as tool of surveillance

The Supreme Court (SC) has held that the office of the Chief Justice of India is a public authority and falls within the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
 
A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, upheld the 2010 Delhi High Court verdict and dismissed three appeals filed by Secretary General and the Central Public Information officer of the SC.
 
Cautioning that RTI cannot be used as a tool of surveillance, the top court in its judgment held that judicial independence has to be kept in mind while dealing with transparency. The Bench,