Delhi HC: IAF need not disclose Modi, Manmohan Singh foreign flight records
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The Delhi High Court has set aside a 2020 CIC order that told the IAF to share records of foreign trips by PM Modi and former PM Manmohan Singh, citing security, reports said Oct 19.
What Happened
The Delhi High Court has ruled that the Indian Air Force (IAF) does not have to disclose records of foreign trips made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on IAF aircraft, setting aside a 2020 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC). Justice Amit Mahajan's judgment, dated October 15, 2026 and reported on October 19, accepted the Air Force's argument that releasing the documents could endanger national security and the safety of the Prime Minister.
Key Facts
- The case began with a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by retired Commodore Lokesh Batra for copies of IAF "Special Flight Returns", the records of VVIP flights, covering the Prime Ministers' foreign visits.
- On July 8, 2020, the CIC allowed his appeal and directed the IAF to provide certified copies, with the names of security personnel removed.
- The IAF challenged that order in the Delhi High Court, which has now set it aside.
- The court accepted the IAF's use of two RTI exemptions: Section 8(1)(a), which covers information that would harm the security and strategic interests of India, and Section 8(1)(g), which covers information that would endanger a person's life or physical safety.
- The court held that neither the High Court nor the CIC can sit in appeal over a security agency's assessment that disclosure could endanger national security or the Prime Minister's life.
- It found that even with names blacked out, the remaining details were interconnected and could help identify security staff and reveal the make-up of the Prime Minister's party.
- The court said that the use of public money for these trips does not, by itself, justify disclosing information that could compromise security.
Why It Matters
The Right to Information Act, passed in 2005, gives every citizen the right to ask public authorities for information, and it has been one of the main tools for holding governments to account on how public money is spent. The Act also lists exemptions, and the balance between openness and security is decided case by case by the information commissions and, on appeal, the courts.
This ruling draws that line firmly in favour of security when it comes to the Prime Minister's travel. The Special Flight Returns that were sought record details of VVIP flights. The CIC had tried to strike a balance by ordering disclosure with security personnel's names removed. The High Court found that approach was not enough, because the other details, read together, could still let someone piece together how the Prime Minister is protected on foreign trips.
The judgment is also significant for what it says about the limits of review. By holding that courts and the CIC should not second-guess the security agencies' own judgment on such risks, it gives agencies wider room to refuse similar requests. Transparency campaigners often argue that general claims of security should be tested; the court's view is that where the Prime Minister's safety is concerned, the assessment of the agencies responsible should carry decisive weight.
The ruling does not stop citizens from seeking other information about prime ministerial travel, such as overall costs, through other RTI requests or parliamentary questions. It applies to the specific flight records at issue.
| Stage | What happened |
|---|---|
| RTI request | Retired Commodore Lokesh Batra sought IAF flight records of PMs' foreign visits |
| July 8, 2020 | CIC ordered disclosure with security staff names removed |
| IAF challenge | Air Force moved the Delhi High Court |
| October 15, 2026 | Justice Amit Mahajan set aside the CIC order |
Impact
Short-term: The IAF does not have to hand over the Special Flight Returns sought in this case. The applicant may choose to appeal to a larger bench or the Supreme Court.
Long-term: The judgment is likely to be cited by public authorities refusing RTI requests on security grounds, especially those involving the movement and protection of top constitutional office-holders.
Who is affected: RTI applicants and transparency campaigners, the Indian Air Force and the security agencies that protect the Prime Minister, information commissions that decide such appeals, and citizens interested in how public money is spent on official travel.
Key Takeaway
The Delhi High Court has held that the IAF can withhold records of prime ministerial foreign flights under the RTI Act's security exemptions, and that courts should not override security agencies' judgment on such risks.
Questions and Answers
What did the Delhi High Court decide about Modi and Manmohan Singh's foreign travel records?
It set aside a 2020 Central Information Commission order that had told the Indian Air Force to share copies of Special Flight Returns for foreign trips by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The judgment is dated October 15, 2026.
Why can the IAF refuse to share these records?
The court accepted that the records fall under Sections 8(1)(a) and 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act, which protect information that could harm national security or endanger a person's life or safety.
Was redacting names not enough to protect security?
No, according to the court. It found that the remaining details were linked and could still help identify security personnel and reveal who travels with the Prime Minister.
Who asked for the records?
Retired Commodore Lokesh Batra, through an RTI application. The CIC ruled in his favour in July 2020, and the IAF then challenged that decision in the Delhi High Court.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
