exemption clauses need to be construed strictly

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 10044 OF 2010

CENTRAL PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER,

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA ….. APPELLANT(S)

VERSUS

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGARWAL ….. RESPONDENT(S)

W I T H

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 10045 OF 2010

A N D

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2683 OF 2010

J U D G M E N T

N.V. RAMANA, J.

23. The exemptions to right to information as noted above are 

contained under Section 8 of the RTI Act. Before we analyse the 

aforesaid provision, we need to observe basic principles, 

concerning interpretation of exemption clauses. There is no doubt 

it is now well settled that exemption clauses need to be construed 

strictly. They need to be given appropriate meaning in terms of 

the intention of the legislature [see Commissioner of Customs 

(Import) v. Dilip Kumar & Ors., (2018) 9 SCC 

40; Rechnungshof v. Österreichischer Rundfunk and Ors., C465/00].