Dinesh Trivedi, M.P. & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.

Constitution of India -- Art. 19(1)(a) -- citizens' right to know -- not an absolute right --

Source of the right to know -- Held: The right of citizens to know about the affairs and functioning of Government can be traced to the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a), since an informed citizenry and free flow of information are essential to meaningful public debate and the working of a democracy.

The right is not absolute -- Held further: Like every other fundamental freedom, the citizens' right to know is not absolute; it carries recognised limitations. Where disclosure would have serious repercussions on public security or would compromise the effective functioning of intelligence and investigative agencies, or would unfairly expose persons named in unverified material, the Government may legitimately decline disclosure notwithstanding the general right to information.

Application to the Vohra Committee Report -- Held further: On the facts, the Court declined to direct disclosure of the raw intelligence inputs underlying the Vohra Committee's report on the nexus between crime syndicates and public life, but directed the Union Government to place the substance of the report and the action taken before Parliament, and to give serious thought to institutional mechanisms for independently examining and acting on such reports in future.