The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Union government to file its affidavit in response to a petition filed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) challenging an order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) seeking disclosure of foreign donors list.

The CIC had on July 4 this year, while hearing an application filed by Delhi resident Ajay Gupta, directed RBI to disclose its list of foreign donors placed by the ministry of Home Affairs on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. The RBI was directed to provide the information within four weeks. When it failed to do so, the CIC earlier this month issued a show-cause notice to RBI Governor Urjit Patel. The CIC had asked Patel to explain why a penalty should not be imposed on him.