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s (ASRTU) This matter came up for hearing on 06.09.2010.  Complainant was  present   in   person,   while   the   respondents   were   represented   by   Shri  Sudeep Kumar  Patra, Director (Tech) and Shri R. Chandrababu,  Asstt.  Director.

2. Complainant, through his RTI­application dated 17.11.2009, raised  certain   queries   to   be   answered   by   the   Executive   Director   of   the  Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU).

3. He   received   a   reply   dated   07.12.2009   from   the   Administrative  Officer of ASRTU to the effect that the Undertaking could not be obligated  to reply to him as it was outside the purview of the RTI Act.

4. Thereafter,   complainant   filed   his   complaint   dated   19.12.2009  arguing that ASRTU had all the ingredients of a public authority and the  denial of information to him was wrong.

5. It   is   the   complainant's   argument   that   the   Secretary   of   the  Department of Transport was the ex­officio Chairman of ASRTU, officers  from government  organizations  were sent on deputation to work at the  ASRTU and hence it ought to be 'public authority' under Section 2(h) of  the RTI Act.

7. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, in their communication  dated   08.06.2010,   clarified   that   the   Ministry   provided   no   financial  assistance   to   ASRTU,   which   was   governed   by   its   own   bye­laws   as  framed  under  the  Societies  Registration  Act,  under  which  ASRTU  was  registered as a Society.

8. Respondents   have   filed   along   with   their   written­submission   a  judgement  of  the  Delhi  High   Court  stating   that  ASRTU  was  not  'state'  within the meaning of Article­12 of the Constitution of India.

CIC_AT_C_2010_000116_M_43146.doc 

10. I   have   further   noticed   that   ASRTU   is   a   voluntary   association   of  State   Transport   Undertakings   created   by   Member   Associations   for  facilitating  the  activities  for  which  such  Undertakings  were  established.  ASRTU  received  no  financial  grants  from  the  government.    It  was  not  created  by any  government  order,  notification  or legislation.    Mere  fact  that   Secretary   of   the   Department   of   Transport   was   the   ex­officio  Chairman   of   the   ASRTU   and   that   it   obtained   services   of   government  employees on deputation or loan basis  ―  for whom all payments  were  made   by   the   ASRTU   ―   would   not   be   sufficient   condition   for   it   to   be  designated as a public authority.