Century Club no more a private entity, rules info commission

Deccan Herald: Bengaluru: Saturday, March 17, 2018.

The Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) has declared Century Club located within the Cubbon Park area a public authority under the Right To Information Act 2005.

The land was allotted to the club, which was started by dewan of Mysore state the late Sir M Visvesvaraya in 1913, by the then Mysore government.

A bench headed by L Krishnamurthy, taking into account the cost of the land and the rent payable by the club management all these years, on March 14 considered the club as being financed by the government. Hence, Century Club is declared a public authority, refuting contentions of the club claiming it is a private entity.

"The then state government of Mysore in the year 1913 has given out land of about 7.5 acres (7 acres and 20 guntas) to Century Club which was previously called Cosmopolitan Club free of cost for the development of club activities on certain conditions. Thus, this grant of land to the club free of cost amounts to substantial indirect finance by the state government, (sic)" stated the order.

The bench also directed the Registrar of Co-operative Societies M K Aiyappa, IAS, to appoint a public information officer (PIO) and also an appellate authority for the club to facilitate and enforce citizens' rights over the club and its premises.

Advocate and RTI activist S Umapathy had filed a petition before the KIC in 2013 seeking details of the club's activities. Umapathy's queries were only limited to the records maintained by the club and when he sought them, the club refused to provide information.

"By a letter dated December 19, 2012, they refused to furnish information stating that the club was a private entity. Meanwhile, Umapathy procured documents from the Horticulture department and learnt the land was granted to the club management by the then Mysore government.

"In terms of section 2(b) of the RTI Act, it was further contended by the respondent that the land to an extent of 7.5 acres was granted by the then Maharaja of Mysore," Umapathy read out from the order.

The activist then knocked on the doors of KIC in 2013 and after several appeals, the commission declared the club a public entity. Meanwhile, Century Club's advocates contended that the power to declare the club a public authority is vested with the civil court. However, KIC maintained that the commission is empowered to decide on all complaints and appeals vested according to the RTI Act (2005).