JOIN USKarnataka Information Commission today ruled that Karnataka State Cricket Association is a "public authority" and should appoint a public information officer and an appellate Authority within 15 days.
State Information Commissioner Dr Shekhar D Sajjanar passed the order on an application by RTI activist S Umpathy, who had sought to know if KSCA is a public authority or not.
Umpathy filed the application before KIC after KSCA declined to provide him information on issues he sought on November 30, 2011, stating that the one of the richest sports bodies is not covered under the RTI act.
KSCA maintained it neither gets funds from the state or central governments and is supported financially by BCCI. The Association also stated that it is registered under the Societies Registration Act. Umapathy later filed an application before the KCI.
The Commissioner said it holds KSCA as a public authority under Section 2(h)(d)ii) of the RTI act. The KSCA pays Rs 19,000 as annual rent to the state government for land leased to it on which it has constructed the stadium with a capacity for about 40,000 spectators.
Besides KSCA has a club house and other facilities. Some months ago, the Public Works Department wrote to the government that the monthly rent that could be charged to KSCA was Rs 6.55 crore.