The High Court of Karnataka has directed the State Information Commission to decide afresh whether Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) is a ‘public authority’ under the Right to Information Act by applying the criteria laid down by the Supreme Court.\
A Division Bench comprising Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S.Vishwajith Shetty passed the order while disposing of an appeal filed by BIAL in 2010.
BIAL had questioned the 2010 decision of the single judge, who had upheld the 2008 decision of the Information Commission declaring BIAL as a public authority and that it has to provide information to the public under the RTI Act.
The Bench said that the decisions of the commission and the single judge were before the apex court in 2013 laid down specific criteria to determine ‘public authority’ under the RTI Act.
Observing that the matter required fresh examination, the Bench directed the commission to decide the issue afresh within three months.
