CIAL argues private status
During the hearing, the counsel representing the airport argued that CIAL is a company incorporated under the Companies Act. He further stated that the airport was neither established by an Act of Parliament nor financed by the government, and hence should not come under the ambit of the RTI Act.
Kerala High Court's stand on RTI applicability
Earlier, a division bench of the Kerala High Court upheld the ruling of its single-judge bench as well as the State Information Commission (SIC). Both had concluded that CIAL qualifies as a public authority under Section 2(h)(d)(i) of the RTI Act, which covers bodies substantially controlled by the government.
High Court's observations
In its order, the High Court had noted that the SIC’s findings in its June 20, 2019 directive were valid. It held that CIAL is obligated to disclose necessary information under the RTI framework, including the appointment of a Public Information Officer and fulfilling statutory obligations mandated by law.
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