Kochi: Is the Right to Information (RTI) Act applicable to the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL)?
It seems the court will settle the issue after CIAL filing a petition before the Kerala High Court challenging the State Information Commission’s order to divulge details of the airport’s board meetings of a certain period under the RTI Act.
The State Information Commission, Kerala, in its order on January 31, had asked CIAL to divulge the minutes of the board meetings of a certain period by April 5, but the airport company denied the same as the matter was ‘commercial and confidential in nature.’
In its petition, CIAL asked the court to quash the State Information Commission’s order as it is not a government company or a public authority and is “not amenable to the provisions of the RTI Act.” It contended that the matters discussed in the board meeting include policy decisions and matters pertaining to financial, business, commercial, security, labour and other areas. It said the “minutes of the board meeting would consist of sensitive and confidential commercial information and trade secrets which are protected under the (RTI) Act itself. Further being involved in a commercial operation, the petitioner is exempted from disclosing the same under the provisions of the RTI Act,” the petition filed by A C K Nair, airport director/executive director, airport operation, CIAL, said.
14/04/15 New Indian Express
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It seems the court will settle the issue after CIAL filing a petition before the Kerala High Court challenging the State Information Commission’s order to divulge details of the airport’s board meetings of a certain period under the RTI Act.
The State Information Commission, Kerala, in its order on January 31, had asked CIAL to divulge the minutes of the board meetings of a certain period by April 5, but the airport company denied the same as the matter was ‘commercial and confidential in nature.’
In its petition, CIAL asked the court to quash the State Information Commission’s order as it is not a government company or a public authority and is “not amenable to the provisions of the RTI Act.” It contended that the matters discussed in the board meeting include policy decisions and matters pertaining to financial, business, commercial, security, labour and other areas. It said the “minutes of the board meeting would consist of sensitive and confidential commercial information and trade secrets which are protected under the (RTI) Act itself. Further being involved in a commercial operation, the petitioner is exempted from disclosing the same under the provisions of the RTI Act,” the petition filed by A C K Nair, airport director/executive director, airport operation, CIAL, said.
14/04/15 New Indian Express
