The Delhi high court on Friday asked an RTI applicant to approach the central information commissioner with his application which raised the issue whether 'Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra' was a 'public authority' for the purpose of Right to Information Act.
Applicant Neeraj Sharma, who sought details of central public information officers and First Appellate Authority for the trust, was aggrieved by an order passed by the central information commissioneras well as the Centre's stand that being a body which was "neither owned, controlled nor financed by Government of India", 'Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra' was an independent and autonomous organisation outside the definition of "public authority".
Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the CIC, on July 08, 2022, disposed of his appeal following non-disclosure, while asking the Centre to provide a revised point wise response to him according to the RTI Act.
Subsequently, when the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) claimed that the trust was autonomous in nature, the petitioner filed another appeal in the CIC which refused to register the same.
"Why don't you approach for judicial review by the CIC itself," Justice Sanjeen Narula orally told the counsel for the petitioner.
The lawyer said the court may remand the matter to the CIC with a direction that they should decide the issue expeditiously.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for MHA, said he would not oppose if the issue was sent back to the Commission. -- PTI
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