"Intellectual property of the bank": SBI once again refuses to disclose SOPs on sale, redemption of electoral bonds

The State Bank of India has persisted in refusing to disclose the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the sale and redemption of electoral bonds, in response to an appeal filed under the Right to Information Act. Justifying its denial, the bank cited the information's classification under "commercial confidence" and as the "intellectual property of the bank", meant solely for internal use by dealing staff. Anjali Bhardwaj, the transparency activist, initially requested the SOPs on March 4, but after being denied twice, first by SBI and then by its first appellate authority (FAA), she intends to escalate the matter to the Central Information Commission (CIC). Bhardwaj criticized the FAA's failure to weigh public interest and questioned the justification for withholding information.