Lucknow, Sep 3 CCTV footage sought under the Right to Information Act cannot be directly provided to an applicant as it may contain sensitive information and fall within the exceptions under the law, the Allahabad High Court held on Thursday.
However, the Lucknow bench of the high court clarified that if a person approaches an appropriate court or competent commission with a complaint, the concerned forum can direct preservation of the CCTV footage and summon it for examination, if required.
The bench comprising Justices Shekhar B Saraf and Abhdesh Kumar Chaudhary passed the order while disposing of a writ petition filed by Shobhit Kashyap.
The petitioner had sought information under an RTI application filed on March 20, 2025, including complete CCTV footage. He had also sought imposition of the maximum penalty of Rs 25,000 on the concerned official for allegedly failing to provide the information and compensation for the harassment allegedly caused to him.
During the hearing, the State Information Commission submitted that the CCTV footage contained sensitive information and could not be disclosed directly to the applicant under Section 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act.
It could, however, be made available if directed by a court or the commission, the commission said.
The petitioner had earlier relied on a Supreme Court judgment to contend that preservation of CCTV footage was a citizen's right.
The high court observed that a court or commission has the power to call for CCTV footage and direct its preservation.
The bench noted that Kashyap had not filed any complaint before a court or commission so far and had merely sought the CCTV footage under the RTI Act.
In these circumstances, the footage could not be directly supplied to him, it said.
The court clarified that if the petitioner files a complaint before an appropriate court or competent forum, the concerned forum may direct preservation of the CCTV footage and summon the actual footage for examining the complaint.
