The General Manager v. The Tamil Nadu Information Commissioner

W.P.(MD)No. 3911 and 3912 of 2023 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 09.04.2025 CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN Writ Petition (MD) Nos.3911 and 3912 of 2023 and W.M.P.(MD) Nos. 3745 and 3755 of 2023 The General Manager Sivagangai District Central Cooperative Bank Limited, Gandhi Road, Sivagangai Sivagangai District .. Petitioner in both W.Ps.

-Vs1.The Tamilnadu Information Commissioner O/o The Tamil Nadu Information Commissioner Block No.19, Government Farm Village Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.

2.P.Radhakrishnan .. Respondents in both W.Ps Prayer : Writ Petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorari calling for the records of the impugned order passed by the 1st respondent vide Case No.SA.No.8580/A/2021 and SA No.12602/A/2021 dated 01.12.2022 and quash the same.

For Petitioner :

Mr.Shanmugaraja Sethupathi D.

For Respondents :

Mr.Raguram Gopalan Standing Counsel - for R1

O R D E R

In these writ petitions, the writ petitioner has challenged the order of the first respondent in directing the petitioner to disclose certain information sought for by the second respondent.

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W.P.(MD)No. 3911 and 3912 of 2023 V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN, J.

KST

2. Mr.Shanmugaraja Sethupathi states that the writ petitioner is a Cooperative Society and hence not a public authority within the meaning of the Right to Information Act. He states that even if it is a District Central Cooperative Bank, as in the present case, they are Societies registered under the Cooperative Societies Act of 1983.

3. If that be the position, the judgment of the Division Bench of this Court in W.A.No.2426 to 2428 and 2500 of 2023 etc., (The Public Information Officer, Sivagangai District -vs- The Registrar, Tamilnadu Information Commission and Others) dated 29.04.2015 will apply in full force. Following the said judgment, these writ petitions are allowed and the impugned orders are quashed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. 09.04.2025 Index : Yes/No Internet : Yes/No KST To The Tamilnadu Information Commissioner, O/o The Tamil Nadu Information Commissioner, Block No.19, Government Farm Village Saidapet, Chennai 600 015. W.P.(MD) Nos.3911 and 3912 of 2023 2 / 2 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis