PM Modi degree case: Gujarat HC rejects Kejriwal’s appeal, upholds Rs 25,000 cost

Mangalore Today News Network

Ahmedabad, Sep 29, 2026: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rejected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal’s appeal against an order that quashed a Central Information Commission (CIC) directive seeking information from Gujarat University about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s academic degree.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray upheld the 2023 order of a single judge, which had set aside the CIC’s 2016 directive and imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on Kejriwal.

The court found no grounds to interfere with the earlier judgment and dismissed the appeal.

The single-judge bench had, on March 31, 2023, quashed the CIC order and imposed the Rs 25,000 cost on Kejriwal. The court had held that information relating to the Prime Minister’s educational degrees was exempt from disclosure under Sections 8(1)(e) and 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the absence of a larger public interest warranting disclosure.

During the hearing of the appeal, Kejriwal’s counsel, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, challenged the basis for imposing the cost. He argued that Kejriwal had not “persisted” with the proceedings, as observed by the single judge.

Singhvi also contended that the CIC had initiated proceedings suo motu based on a letter from Kejriwal rather than a formal RTI application.

The Gujarat University had earlier told the single judge that information concerning Modi’s degree was available online. Kejriwal’s lawyers, however, argued that the material uploaded on the university’s website was not the degree itself.

Representing Gujarat University, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Kejriwal had pursued the matter extensively and that the RTI mechanism should not be used merely to satisfy public curiosity. He also sought costs, arguing that government authorities should not be required to spend productive time dealing with requests that do not serve the purpose of the RTI Act.

The dispute dates back to 2016, when Kejriwal wrote to the CIC seeking disclosure of information concerning Modi’s educational qualifications. In April that year, the then CIC directed Delhi University and Gujarat University to provide information relating to Modi’s degrees.

Gujarat University challenged the CIC directive before the High Court. In March 2023, the single-judge bench quashed the CIC order and imposed a Rs 25,000 cost on Kejriwal. He subsequently challenged the order before the division bench.

The division bench heard the matter in September 2026 and reserved its judgment on September 24. It delivered its decision on Tuesday, dismissing Kejriwal’s appeal and upholding the Rs 25,000 cost.