Papers on SEZ devpt can’t be kept confidential - Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ruled that documents cannot be kept confidential and would remain in public domain in cases related to the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) where public interest is involved.

A division bench of Justice BH Marlapalle and Justice N D Deshpande was hearing a petition filed by SKIL Infra. The petitioners had challenged RTI commissioner’s order asking CIDCO to provide documents to a Navi Mumbai resident regarding development of Navi Mumbai SEZ Pvt Ltd. The petition stated that company had joined hands with CIDCO, a development authority, to form Navi Mumbai SEZ and that both had entered into an agreement with a clause that documents pertaining to this joint venture would be kept confidential. The court did not agree with petitioner’s case and ruled that in a case where public interest is involved such a clause of confidentiality would not be applicable and documents would have to be made public.