IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN THURSDAY, THE 10TH SEPTEMBER 2009 / 19TH BHADRA 1931 WP(C).No. 24503 of 2009(G) --------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ---------------------- THE MALAPPURAM DISTRICT CO-OP BANK LTD., MALAPPURAM, REP. BY THE GENERAL MANAGER. BY ADV. MR.GEORGE POONTHOTTAM RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------- 1. THE STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION, PUNNEN ROAD, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY. 2. THE REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. SRI. SAYED FAIZALALI THANGAL, GENERAL SECRETARY, JANADA DAL (S) THOZHUVANNOOR P.O., VALANCHERY, MALAPPURAM DIST. R1 BY ADV. MR.M.AJAY, SC, STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION R2 BY GOVT. PLEADER MR.K.C.SANTHOSHKUMAR THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 10/09/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: tss S. Siri Jagan, J. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= W. P (C) No. 24503 of 2009 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Dated this, the 10th September, 2009. J U D G M E N T The petitioner is challenging Exts.P1 and P2 circulars issued by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, wherein it has been held that a Co-operative Society under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act is a public authority for the purpose of Right to Information Act and therefore Co-operative Societies are bound to comply with the provisions of the Right to Information Act. 2. The question as to whether a Co-operative Society is a public authority for the purposes of the Right to Information Act or not was the subject matter of a batch of writ petitions before this Court. A learned Single Judge originally held that Co-operative Societies are public authorities as defined under the Right to Information Act. On appeal, in W.A.No. 1417/2009 and connected cases, a Division Bench of this Court held that whether a particular Society is a public authority or not for the purposes of the Act is a question, which has to be considered individually in respect of each Society by the authorities under the Right to Information Act in the first instance and that the circulars issued by the Registrar of Co- operative Societies in this regard are not binding on the Co-operative Societies. Following that decision, I dispose of this writ petition in terms of the Division Bench decision. Sd/- S. Siri Jagan, Judge. Tds/