HC stays CIC order to disclose details of Constitution Club

The Delhi High Court today stayed an order of Central Information Commission (CIC) directing Constitution Club of India (CCI) to make public its report regarding functioning.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva stayed the operation of CIC's October 14 order till the next date of hearing on April 25, 2017, on CCI's plea challenging the decision.
The high court said the issue raised by CCI is already pending consideration in different petitions filed before it by other parties, so the relief granted in those matters is also extended to the club.
"Issue notice to the respondents (CIC and a individual). Till the next date of hearing the operation of October 14, 2016 order is stayed," the court said, adding that the "issue raised in the matter required consideration".

The CIC in its decision passed in October on RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal's petition had held that CCI on posh Rafi Marg in the city is a public authority under the RTI Act and it is answerable to people's queries under the transparency law.
Challenging the CIC verdict, the club has claimed that the Commission had erred in holding it a public authority.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the club, contended that it does not received any fund, grant or financial support whatsoever from any government or state or public entity or from any source other than membership subscriptions or charges.

He said the land and building in which the club is housed have not been allotted by any government to the club and it is a licensee of the government in the said building and is paying licence fee to it.
The Commission order had come on the plea of Agrawal who had sought to know details regarding functioning of the club.
Singhvi had sought to know if Lok Sabha Speaker is ex-officio president of Constitution Club, questions related to setting up of the club, purpose, why was it changed to an association etc.
The club refused to respond to RTI query saying it does not come under the transparency law.

Declaring it as public authority under the RTI Act, the CIC bench had said, "People should have a right to ask about the functioning of CCI and spending on it to create facilities for their elected representatives and others.