THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a landmark ruling, the state information commission has held that self-financing educational institutions, that function with the approval of the government, come under the purview of the Right To Information (RTI) Act.
State Information Commissioner M Sreekumar made the clarification while hearing an appeal filed by an RTI applicant who was denied a reply by a self-financing teachers’ training institute. The commission has issued directives to the secretaries of general education, higher education and health to make necessary arrangements for appointment of State Public Information Officer and appellate authorities in such institutions.
The commission’s intervention came after the principal of CSI TTI at Amaravila here told a woman applicant from Nellivila that the institution does not come under the purview of the RTI Act.
The commission noted that recognised self-financing institutions come under the definition of ‘public authority’ as they have given an undertaking that they will function as per the rules and regulations framed by the government. Besides, such institutions enjoy concessions in terms of building tax and water and electricity charges.
The commissioner also directed the institution to provide details sought by the applicant within 15 days and inform it of the action taken.