SC stays Kerala HC order bringing Cochin International Airport under RTI

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed an order of the Kerala High Court which held the Cochin International Airport Limited to be a public authority, coming under Right to Information Act, 2005 ambit.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing an appeal filed by the airport authorities against the August 5 high court order.

The lawyer appearing for the airport submitted that CIAL is a company incorporated under the Companies Act.


He said the airport was neither a creation of Parliament nor funded by the government.

A high court division bench upheld an order of its single judge bench and the State Information Commission (SIC) which ruled CIAL to be a public authority under Section 2(h)(d)(i) of the RTI Act.

"The view taken by SIC in the impugned order dated June 20, 2019, is affirmed, holding that CIAL is bound to divulge necessary information and meet the statutory obligations placed upon its shoulders vide the various provisions of the RTI Act, including the appointment of Public Information Officer and divulging of necessary information in the said regard," the high court held.