STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION, PUNJAB |
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Sh. Ramesh Chander Goyal, (Retd-SDO) 12-A, Professor Colony, Makhu Road, Ferozepur City. |
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…………………………….Complainant |
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Vs. |
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Public Information Officer O/o Assistant Registrar, Cooperative Societies, The Mall, Ferozepur City. |
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……………………………..Respondent |
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CC No. 1947 of 2008 |
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Present: | (i) Sh. Ramesh Chander Goyal, the Complainant (ii) Sh. Rajkumar, District Manager , O/o Housefed, Ferozepur on behalf of the Respondent |
ORDER | |
Heard. | |
2. District Manager, Housefed states that he has instructed the’ College-Teachers Cooperative House Building Society’ to supply the information. In response to his directions, Society has supplied some of the information and has written that RTI Act is not applicable to the Society, so the remaining information was not supplied. 3. In this case, the information request has been made by the Complainant to the PIO O/o Assistant Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Ferozepur. The Complainant has not sought any information from the ‘College-Teachers Cooperative House Building Society’. It is, therefore, not necessary to go into the question whether the said society is a ‘public authority’ within the meaning of Section 2(h) RTI Act, 2005 . 4. Section 2(f) defines ‘information’ as including information relating to a private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any law for the time being in force. Even assuming that the society concerned is a private body, it is seen that the Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies can under the regulatory provisions of the Co-operative Societies Act 1961 have access to the information sought by the Complainant. The information demanded, thus, is ‘information’ as per the definition thereof in the RTI Act and the Respondent is legally obliged to procure the information from the society concerned and provide the same to the Complainant. I, therefore, direct the Respondent to procure the information from the society concerned and deliver the same to the Complainant 4. Adjourned to 19.12.08 (11.00 AM) for confirmation of compliance. Copies of the order be sent to the parties |
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Sd/- |
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Dated: 7th November, 2008 |