Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) vs. Right to Information Commission & G. Surendran – CA/RTI/0003/2023-2025

In the case between Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and the Right to Information Commission with G. Surendran, the court addressed the issue of whether the disclosure of detailed foreign business travel expenses of the Chief Operating Officer by a public authority is mandated under the Right to Information Act, balancing statutory exemptions on personal and confidential information against the public interest in transparency. It was held that the information in question pertains to the use of public funds for official purposes and therefore disclosure is required, reaffirming the principle that public transparency overrides claims of confidentiality or privacy when the expenditure of public resources is involved. The decision relied on the correct interpretation of Sections 5(1)(a) and 5(1)(g) of th