PM’s degree row: Delhi HC flags delay in appeals

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took note of the delay by four petitioners in filing appeals challenging a single-judge order that had quashed the Central Information Commission’s (CIC) directive for disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational records.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said the court would first examine whether the appeals were within the limitation period before considering their merits. The Bench also directed the Delhi University (DU) to file its objections on the delay.

The appeals have been moved by AAP leader Sanjay Singh, RTI activist Neeraj Sharma and advocate Mohd Irshad, among others, against the single-judge judgment delivered on August 25.

The judgment had set aside the CIC’s December 2016 order, which required DU to disclose details of the PM’s Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) degree from 1978.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for one of the appellants, submitted that the matter involves two key legal questions, whether the exemption under Section 8 of the Right To Information Act applies to such disclosure, and if it does, whether revealing the degree details nonetheless serves a larger public interest.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi University, informed the court that he had not yet examined the reasons cited by the appellants for the delay in filing their appeals. However, he stated that he had no objection to arguing the matter on merits, if required.

“Objections to the condonation of delay application may be filed within three weeks. The appellants may file their response to the objections thereafter,” the Bench directed, posting the matter for further hearing on January 16, 2026.

The dispute stems from the CIC’s December 2016 directive issued by Information Commissioner Prof M Acharyulu, which had ordered DU to make public the register containing names of students who passed the BA programme in 1978.

The order was passed on an RTI plea filed by Neeraj Sharma in 2015, seeking details of all students awarded BA degrees that year. The university had denied the disclosure, citing privacy concerns and lack of public interest.

Following the CIC’s order, DU moved the High Court in January 2017. The single-judge Bench of Justice Sachin Datta subsequently stayed the directive, observing that the academic records of an individual, even if the person holds public office, constitute personal information exempt under the RTI Act. Justice Datta had also concluded that there was no overriding public interest warranting disclosure of such records.

The controversy traces back to 2016 when then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal publicly urged PM Modi to “come clean about his educational degrees”. In his election affidavit, the Prime Minister had declared that he obtained a BA degree in Political Science from Delhi University in 1978.

With the single-judge ruling now under challenge, the Division Bench’s first task will be to determine whether the appellants’ delay in filing the appeals can be condoned before any consideration of the substantive questions under the RTI Act. The matter will be heard next on January 16, 2026.