BHAKTA PRAHALAD RAJWADE vs STATE OF CHHATTISGARH
- Court
- Chhattisgarh High Court
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CGHC010398682026 2026:CGHC:45086
NAFR
VISHAKHA
BEOHAR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
Digitally signed
by VISHAKHA
BEOHAR
WPC No. 5173 of 2026
1 - Bhakta Prahalad Rajwade S/o Shriram Rajwade Aged About 40
Years R/o Currently Posted At Lecturer (Sanskrit) At Government High
School Panchgaon, Block Baloda, Distt- Janjgir Champa (C.G.)
--- Petitioner(s)
versus
1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, School Education
Department, Indrawati Bhawan, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, Raipur (C.G.)
2 - Directorate Of Public Instructions (D P I) Through The Director,
Indrawati Bhawan, New Raipur, Distt- Raipur (C.G.)
3 - District Education Officer Cum 1st Appellate Authority Public
Information Authority Block Baloda, Distt- Janjgir Champa (C.G.)
4 - Block Education Officer Cum Public Information Officer Block
Baloda, Distt- Janjgir Champa (C.G.)
5 - Chief Information Commissioner Chhattisgarh State Information
Commission Sector- 19, North Block Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, Distt-
Raipur (C.G.)
6 - Principal, Government High School Panchgaon, Block Baloda, Distt-
Janjgir Champa (C.G.)
7 - Mahendra Mahot R/o Ward No. 13, Bazaarpara Baloda Baloda
Distt- Janjgir Champa (C.G.) Working As Journalist Hindi Weekly News
Baloda Janjgir Champa Distt- Janjgir Champa (C.G.)
--- Respondent(s)
2
WPC No. 5335 of 2026
1 - Birendra Kumar Sahu S/o Ramlakhan Sahu Aged About 43 Years
R/o Currently Posted At Lecturer (Sanskrit) At Government High School
Satrenga, Block Korba, District Korba Chhattisgarh
--- Petitioner(s)
Versus
1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, School Education
Department Indravati Bhawan, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, Raipur
Chhattisgarh
2 - Directorate Of Public Instructions (D P I) Through The Director,
Indrawati Bhawan, New Raipur, District Raipur Chhattisgarh
3 - District Education Officer Cum 1st Appellate Authority Public
Information Authority Block Korba, District Korba Chhattisgarh
4 - Block Education Officer Cum Public Information Officer Block Korba,
District Korba Chhattisgarh
5 - Chief Information Commissioner Chhattisgarh State Information
Commission Sector-19, North Block, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, District
Raipur Chhattisgarh
6 - Principal Government Govt. High School Satrenga, Block Korba,
District Korba Chhattisgarh
7 - Gokul Kurre R/o Village Korbi, Block Podi-Uproda, District Korba
Chhattisgarh (Working As Journalist)
--- Respondent(s)
WPC No. 5187 of 2026
1 - Ramesh Kumar Palia S/o Kartik Ram, Aged About 42 Years R/o
Currently Posted At Lecturer (Sanskrit) At Government High School
Karma, Block Baloda, District Janjgir-Champa (C.G.).
--- Petitioner(s)
Versus
3
1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, School Education
Department Indravati Bhawan, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, Raipur (C.G.)
2 - Directorate Of Public Instructions (Dpi) Through The Director,
Indrawati Bhawan, New Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.)
3 - District Education Officer Cum 1st Appellate Authority Public
Information Authority Block Baloda, District Janjgir-Champa (C.G.).
4 - Block Education Officer Cum Public Information Officer Block
Baloda, District Janjgir-Champa (C.G.).
5 - Chief Information Commissioner Chhattisgarh State Information
Commission Sector-19, North Block, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, District-
Raipur (Chhattisgarh)
6 - Principal, Government High School Karma, Block Baloda, District
Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
7 - Mahendra Mahto, R/o Ward No. 13 Bazaarpara Baloda, Baloda,
District Janjgir Champa (C.G.) Working As Journalist, Hindi Weekly
News, Baloda, Janjgir Champa, District Janjgir Champa (C.G.)
--- Respondent(s)
WPC No. 5182 of 2026
1 - Jayram Singh Rajwade S/o Late Bhagirathi Rajwade Aged About 47
Years R/o Currently Posted At Lecturer (Biology) At Government High
School Karma, Block Baloda, District Janjgir-Champa Chhattisgarh
--- Petitioner(s)
Versus
1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, School Education
Department Indravati Bhawan, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, Raipur
Chhattisgarh
2 - Directorate Of Public Instructions (D P I) Through The Director,
Indrawati Bhawan, New Raipur, District Raipur Chhattisgarh
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3 - District Education Officer Cum 1st Appellate Authority Public
Information Authority Block Baloda, District Janjgir-Champa
Chhattisgarh
4 - Block Education Officer Cum Public Information Officer Block
Baloda, District Janjgir-Champa Chhattisgarh
5 - Chief Information Commissioner Chhattisgarh State Information
Commission Sector 19, North Block, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, District
Raipur Chhattisgarh
6 - Principal Government High School Karma, Block Baloda, District
Janjgir-Champa Chhattisgarh
7 - Mahendra Mahot R/o Ward No. 13 Bazaarpara Baloda, Baloda,
District Janjgir-Champa Chhattisgarh Working As Journalist, Hindi
Weekly News, Baloda, Janjgir-Champa, District Janjgir-Champa
Chhattisgarh
8 - Sumit Pandey (Editor Janta Time News), R/o H I G 14, Housing
Board Colony, Janjgir Champa, District Janjgir-Champa Chhattisgarh
9 - Nigita Suryavanshi (News Reporter) R/o Shanti Nagar, Janjgir
Champa, District Janjgir-Champa Chhattisgarh
... Respondent(s)
For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Sajal Kumar Gupta, Advocate.
For Respondent(s)/State : Mr. Anil Pandey, G.A.
For Respondent No. 5 in
WPC No. 5335/2026
: Ms. Aparajita Pandey, Advocate on
behalf of Mr. Harshwardhan Agrawal,
Advocate
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad
Order on Board
26/10/2026
1. Since the issues involved in all these petitions are similar, they
are being decided by this common order.
2. W.P.(C) No. 5037/2026 is taken up as the lead case. The reliefs
sought in the present petitions are similar and identical to those
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claimed in the lead case. The said reliefs are quoted
hereinbelow:-
“ I. Issue a writ, order, direction in the nature
Mandamus/Prohibition directing the Respondent
authorities, specifically the District Education Officer
and the Principal, Govt. High School Panchgaon,
not to disclose or supply the Petitioner's service
book, educational marksheets, caste certificate,
appointment order, and related personal documents
to the Private Respondent or any other applicant
under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
II. Issue an omnibus ex-parte ad-interim injunction in
the nature of a 'John Doe' (Ashok Kumar) order,
restraining any known or unknown persons,
including news editors and journalists, from seeking,
procuring, or publishing the personal service records
and educational documents of the Petitioner.
III. Pass any other writ, order, or direction which this
Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts
and circumstances of the case, in the interest of
justice.”
3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that personal
information and documents pertaining to the petitioners are being
disclosed by the concerned District Education Officer and the
First Appellate Authority to the information seeker under the Right
to Information Act, 2005. It is contended that such information
relates to the personal records of the petitioners and is exempt
from disclosure under Section 8(1)(j) of the Act of 2005.
Accordingly, the petitioners have approached this Court seeking
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appropriate relief and a direction to the respondent authorities not
to disclose or furnish their personal information and documents to
the information seeker in violation of the aforesaid statutory
provision.
4. At this stage, learned State counsel submits that the concerned
Principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Kormi, has
already issued a letter dated 29.09.2026, stating that the personal
information pertaining to the third party cannot be furnished to the
complainant or information seeker. It is, therefore, submitted that,
as the concerned authority has already declined to disclose the
personal information of the petitioners, no further relief is required
to be granted in the present petitions at this stage.
5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the
record.
6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the
submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, the
petitions are disposed of with a direction to the concerned
authorities not to disclose the personal information pertaining to
the petitioners, as claimed to be exempt from disclosure under
Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, in
accordance with law.
7. However, in the event any cause of action arises in future, the
petitioners shall be at liberty to avail themselves of the
appropriate remedy available to them in accordance with law.
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8. At this stage, no notice is required to be issued to the information
seekers.
9. With the aforesaid directions, the petitions stand disposed of.
sd/-
(Amitendra Kishore Prasad)
Judge
Vishakha