New Delhi, January 08: Expanding the ambit of Right to Information Act, the Delhi High Court today said even non-government and autonomous organisations can come within the ambit of the transparency law if it received funds from the government for “larger societal goals”.
Justice S Ravindra Bhat held that government’s control over the functioning of the organisation is not relevant to decide whether they were public authority or not.
New Delhi: Expanding the ambit of Right to Information Act, the Delhi High Court today said even non-government and autonomous organisations can come within the ambit of the transparency law if it received funds from the government for “larger societal goals”.
Justice S Ravindra Bhat held that government’s control over the functioning of the organisation is not relevant to decide whether they were public authority or not.
“…that the institution or organisation is not controlled and is autonomous is irrelevant; indeed, the concept of non-government organisation means that it is independent of any manner of government control in its establishment, or management.
“That the organisation does not perform or pre-dominantly perform public duties too may not be material as long as the object for funding is achieving a felt need of a section of the public, or to secure larger societal goals,” Justice Bhat said in 57 page verdict.
–PTI