The Tribune: Chandigarh: Sunday, 31 May 2026.
Haryana State Information Commission holds that information cannot be denied merely because the society itself is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act
The State Information
Commission (SIC) has ruled that if information held by a cooperative group
housing society is accessible to the office of the registrar of cooperative
societies, it must be provided under the RTI Act.
The commission held that information cannot be denied merely because the society itself is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
Why is the order significant?
Group housing societies have been taking the plea that they are not covered under the RTI Act as they do not receive any aid or support from the state and therefore do not come within the RTI ambit. The Commission's order clarifies that information accessible through the Registrar can still be sought under the RTI Act.
In which case was the order passed?
The order was passed while directing the office of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Haryana, to provide the complete unedited videography of the General Body Meeting of the New Haryana Officers Cooperative Group Housing Society Limited, Panchkula.
A retired district and sessions judge, Kuldip Jain, who is serving as a Member (Judicial) in the Haryana Human Rights Commission, filed an RTI application on September 5, 2023, seeking a certified copy of the unedited video of the entire proceedings of the General Body Meeting held on July 8, 2023, along with the minutes of the meeting. He is a member of the Society, having IAS, IPS and HCS officers as members.
What information was provided and what was denied?
The minutes of the meeting were furnished to Jain, but the videography was not provided.
The society contended that the videography was its property and that it did not fall within the ambit of a "public authority" as defined under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. During a hearing on January 9, 2025, Satwanti Ahlawat, a retired IAS, then President of the Society, submitted that the society was fully owned, controlled and financed by its members and not by the Haryana Government, and therefore did not come within the purview of the RTI Act.
At another hearing on October 8, 2025, the subsequent President, Renu Phulia, also a retired IAS, stated that the information sought concerned personal discussions of members related to the affairs of the society and had no public-interest connection.
What did the Commission observe?
The Commission observed that the issue was not whether the society itself was a public authority, but whether the information sought by the appellant was accessible to the office of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies.
The Commission noted that the Registrar exercises statutory, supervisory and regulatory control over cooperative societies and had directed the society, through a letter dated August 7, 2023, to furnish the complete videography of the General Body Meeting.
What provision of RTI Act did Commission rely upon?
The Commission referred to Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005, which states that the term "information" includes information relating to any private body that can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
The Commission directed that the videography be obtained from the society and provided to the applicant. It further stated that if the society failed to comply, the Registrar should initiate appropriate action under the Haryana Cooperative Societies Act and related rules.
Haryana State Information Commission holds that information cannot be denied merely because the society itself is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act
The commission held that information cannot be denied merely because the society itself is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
Why is the order significant?
Group housing societies have been taking the plea that they are not covered under the RTI Act as they do not receive any aid or support from the state and therefore do not come within the RTI ambit. The Commission's order clarifies that information accessible through the Registrar can still be sought under the RTI Act.
In which case was the order passed?
The order was passed while directing the office of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Haryana, to provide the complete unedited videography of the General Body Meeting of the New Haryana Officers Cooperative Group Housing Society Limited, Panchkula.
A retired district and sessions judge, Kuldip Jain, who is serving as a Member (Judicial) in the Haryana Human Rights Commission, filed an RTI application on September 5, 2023, seeking a certified copy of the unedited video of the entire proceedings of the General Body Meeting held on July 8, 2023, along with the minutes of the meeting. He is a member of the Society, having IAS, IPS and HCS officers as members.
What information was provided and what was denied?
The minutes of the meeting were furnished to Jain, but the videography was not provided.
The society contended that the videography was its property and that it did not fall within the ambit of a "public authority" as defined under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. During a hearing on January 9, 2025, Satwanti Ahlawat, a retired IAS, then President of the Society, submitted that the society was fully owned, controlled and financed by its members and not by the Haryana Government, and therefore did not come within the purview of the RTI Act.
At another hearing on October 8, 2025, the subsequent President, Renu Phulia, also a retired IAS, stated that the information sought concerned personal discussions of members related to the affairs of the society and had no public-interest connection.
What did the Commission observe?
The Commission observed that the issue was not whether the society itself was a public authority, but whether the information sought by the appellant was accessible to the office of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies.
The Commission noted that the Registrar exercises statutory, supervisory and regulatory control over cooperative societies and had directed the society, through a letter dated August 7, 2023, to furnish the complete videography of the General Body Meeting.
What provision of RTI Act did Commission rely upon?
The Commission referred to Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005, which states that the term "information" includes information relating to any private body that can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
The Commission directed that the videography be obtained from the society and provided to the applicant. It further stated that if the society failed to comply, the Registrar should initiate appropriate action under the Haryana Cooperative Societies Act and related rules.
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