GST Return Details Cannot be Furnished u/s 158(1) of CGST Act: CIC in RTI Matter

The Central Information Commission ruled that GST return details cannot be disclosed under Section 158(1) of the CGST Act. The decision came after an RTI applicant sought information about GST returns filed by a third party. The CIC clarified that GST returns are personal financial data, which falls under the privacy exemption under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The information can only be shared if there is an overriding public interest or the concerned party consents to the disclosure, both of which were not present in this case.