HINDUSTAN PETROLEUM CORPORATION LIMITED & ORS. vs MR SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE

$~P-1 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 01.07.2025 W.P.(C) 13654/2023 & CM APPLs. 53920/2023, 11504/2024, 56245/2024, 66877/2024, 73838/2024, 7493/2025, 7892/2025, 7893/2025, 13923/2025, 16436/2025 HINDUSTAN PETROLEUM CORPORATION LIMITED & ORS. .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Krishnan Venugopal, Senior Advocate with Mr. Sanjay Kapur, Mr. Devesh Dubey, Mr. Surya Prakash, Mr. Avinash Mathews, Advocates. versus MR SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE .....Respondent Through: Dr. Puran Chand, Ms. Anita Chahal, Ms. Shashi, Advocates for respondent (in person). Mr. Surinder Kumar Virdi, Intervenor. Mr. Abhay Kumar, Amicus Curiae. CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN JUDGMENT 1. By way of this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution, the petitioners assail an order dated 27.09.2023 passed by the Central Information Commission [“CIC”], by which it issued show cause notices to petitioner Nos. 2 and 3 under Section 20(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 [“the RTI Act”]. 2. Petitioner No. 1 – Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited [“HPCL”] is a Public Sector Undertaking of the Central Government. Petitioner No. 2 is a former Central Public Information Officer [“CPIO”]