Delhi High Court sets aside an order directing the Air Force to disclose records of Prime Ministers' foreign travel

20 October 2026

Justice Amit Mahajan of the Delhi High Court allowed a petition by the Central Public Information Officer of the Directorate of Personal Services at Air Headquarters, Indian Air Force.
The case arose from a request by Commodore Lokesh K Batra, who sought Special Flight Returns records of foreign visits by Prime Ministers on Air Force aircraft between 1 April 2013 and 5 June 2018.
The Central Information Commission had directed the Air Force in July 2020 to supply certified copies of the relevant records.
The Court held that the information may be withheld where disclosure could compromise national security or endanger the Prime Minister's life and physical safety.
It held that redacting the names of security personnel would not remove the risk, because the remaining details could be correlated with public information to reveal security arrangements.
It held that the spending of public funds on the visits does not by itself justify disclosure, and that the assessment of security risk belongs primarily to the security agencies.
It held that Sections 8(1)(a) and 8(1)(g) do not permit disclosure merely on the ground of a larger public interest.