High court stays SIC order declaring PCA under RTI

Times of India‎‎‎‎: Chandigarh: Friday, October 21, 2016.

In a major relief to Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday stayed the orders of state information commission (SIC) Punjab that had ordered to consider PCA as public authority under as 'public authority' under the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Justice GS Sandhawalia has passed these orders while hearing a petition filed by PCA against the July 20, 2016 orders passed by SIC Punjab.

HC has also issued notice to the SIC and the complainant who had sought information about PCA under the RTI act, seeking their replies on issue by December 12.

In its July 20 orders, the SIC had held, "PCA would have struggled had it not been in possession of the land in Mohali, which has been leased on a nominal amount coupled with a substantial grant of the government to convert it into a cricket stadium".

The commission had passed these orders on the ground that the PCA has been allotted 11 Acres of land by the state government on a very less amount for construction of the stadium as well as the grant of Rs 11.05 crores has also been given by the government to the association.

Challenging these orders, the PCA has argued that the funding of state government to the tune of Rs 11.05 crores was only given in the year 1994 to 1996 and thereafter not even a single penny has been given by the state to PCA and the association is doing everything on its own.

Counsel for PCA, senior advocate Gurminder Singh and Vikas Chatrath argued that the association has spent an amount of around Rs 118 crores on the construction of the stadium. It was also brought to the notice of the court that the land was allotted by the government to the association under the scheme to promote the games and to develop the Mohali city at that time and more land was also given to other sports by the state.

It was also submitted that some exemptions were also given by the state on taxes like entertainment tax and the same was only for the promotion if the games and the said exemption as given to 21 other games also. Further it was argued by the counsel that the association has also purchased the 42 acres land for construction of new stadium at Mullanpur from private land owners and the Government has given nothing in that case for purchase of land.

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