Self-financing educational institutions accountable under RTI: Kerala State Information Commission
The order was issued in connection with a complaint against the Chuttippara Nursing Education Institute, which had refused to respond to an RTI query related to the death of a student.
State Information Commissioner A. Abdul Hakkeem, who issued the directive, also brought the Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies (CPAS)—the agency coordinating these institutions—under the scope of the RTI Act.
The case stems from a petition filed by T. Sajeev, father of Ammu Sajeev, a nursing student who died in the institute's hostel on November 15, 2024. Seeking details surrounding his daughter's death, Mr. Sajeev submitted an RTI request, which the institution denied, claiming exemption on the grounds that it is a private entity.
'Unlawful'
The commission, however, rejected this argument and said that the refusal to share information was unlawful. A previous order issued on February 19 had already directed the institute to provide Mr. Sajeev with all relevant documents free of charge. The institution, however, failed to comply with the directive, prompting a second complaint.
In the new order, the commission instructed the Chuttippara Nursing Education Institute to hand over all requested information to Mr. Sajeev by May 17 and to submit an acknowledgment receipt to the commission by May 20.
Under constitutional provisions
The ruling clarified that any self-financing institution established through constitutional provisions, legislative enactments, government decisions or administered by government-appointed committees is subject to the RTI Act. Hence, the CPAS and its affiliated colleges must appoint designated Public Information Officers and Appellate Authorities.
The commission mandated that these directives be fully implemented by May 16, with a compliance report submitted by May 25. Responsibility for enforcing the order has been assigned jointly to the Higher Education Secretary and the Director of the CPAS.
If the Chuttippara Nursing Education Institute continues to withhold information, the commission has instructed its director to appear in person before it in Thiruvananthapuram on June 4, along with all relevant records.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
14 minutes ago
- Indian Express
ED attaches actor Ranya Rao's assets in gold smuggling case: What to know
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth over Rs 34 crore linked to Kannada actor Ranya Rao in a gold smuggling-related money laundering case. On Friday (July 4), the central agency said that false customs declarations were filed in Dubai — where Rao had a travel history — declaring the destination of gold shipments as Switzerland or the US, but in fact, it was for India. 'The attachments have been made in terms of Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act as property equivalent in value to the untraced proceeds of crime identified during the course of investigation,' the ED said. On March 3, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Rao at the Bengaluru airport on her arrival from Dubai and recovered 14.2 kg of gold bars valued at more than Rs 12.56 crore from her possession. On March 9, the DRI arrested Telugu actor Tarun Konduru, Rao's accomplice. The ED said, 'Ranya Rao, in active collusion with Tarun Konduru Raju and others, orchestrated a well-structured operation for smuggling gold into India. Gold was procured from suppliers based in Dubai, Uganda, and other jurisdictions, and payments were made through hawala channels in cash, thereby circumventing legal financial systems.' The probe revealed that the smuggled gold was then sold in India to jewellers and other local entities, and the proceeds were laundered through hawala remittances abroad to finance repeat smuggling consignments. Here is what to know. In early March, DRI officials called it 'one of the biggest seizures of gold at Bengaluru airport in recent times.' The DRI was investigating whether the incident was an isolated incident or a part of a series of gold-smuggling trips, noting that Rao, 33, travelled to Dubai 27 times over the previous six months. The case also raised questions on possible police involvement, as local officers would escort Rao home from the airport after she returned from her frequent trips to Dubai. Rao is also the stepdaughter of the senior Karnataka IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao. She is alleged to have used airport protocol services available to her father to escape customs checks and detection at the Bengaluru airport on arrival from Dubai. Earlier this month, the Income Tax (I-T) department said it would investigate Rao's wealth. Until its repeal in 1990, the Gold (Control) Act, 1968, curbed gold imports and heavily restricted the acquisition, possession, and disposal of gold in India. However, with economic liberalisation in the 1990s, the government modified its approach, imposing an import duty on gold at the rate of Rs 250 for every 10 grams, leading to a boom in gold imports in the following years. Gold imports are largely governed by the Customs Act, 1962, and by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The customs duty for gold may differ depending on the amount of gold carried by a passenger and the duration spent abroad before travelling back to India, as per the Baggage Rules, 2016 (issued under the Customs Act). Under these rules, a man residing abroad for over a year may carry up to 20 grams of jewellery duty-free (with a value cap of Rs 50,000), and a woman may similarly carry up to 40 grams (with a cap of Rs 1 lakh). The CBIC also has specific guidelines for Indian passengers returning from Dubai after residing there for over six months, allowing them to carry up to 1 kg of gold as long as the applicable customs duty is paid. The customs duty for gold is: 3% customs duty: for men carrying 20-50 grams of gold and women carrying 40-100 grams; 6% customs duty: for men carrying 50-100 grams and women carrying 100-200 grams; 10% customs duty: For men carrying over 100 grams and women carrying over 200 grams. In 2003, the Supreme Court held that any article imported without complying with the relevant conditions or restrictions must be considered a 'prohibited good'. Such goods are liable to be confiscated under Section 111 and punished under Section 112 of the Customs Act. The punishment may include a fine of up to the value of the goods. Section 135 provides a punishment of up to 7 years imprisonment if the market price of the smuggled goods exceeds Rs. 1 lakh. Smuggling is also punishable under Section 111 (Organised Crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which punishes 'trafficking in…illicit goods' with imprisonment of at least five years, extendable to life imprisonment. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) also carries the same punishment for smuggling as a 'terrorist act' under Section 15 if it causes 'damage to the monetary stability of India'. This is an updated version of an explainer published earlier this year.
The Hindu
36 minutes ago
- The Hindu
TMC MP Mahua Moitra moves Supreme Court against EC's revision of electoral rolls in Bihar
Trinamool Congress leader and Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra has moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Election Commission of India for special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. In her plea, Ms. Moitra said she seeks setting aside of the order dated June 24 under which Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is being conducted in alleged violation of various provisions of the Constitution. "The present writ petition has been filed in public interest under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking setting aside of order dated 24.06.2025 issued by Election Commission of India under which SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar is being conducted in violation of Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 21, 325, 328 of the Constitution and provisions of Representation of People (RP) Act, 1950 and Registration of Electors (RER) Rules, 1960 which, if not set aside, can lead to large-scale disenfranchisement of eligible voters in the country thereby undermining democracy and free and fair elections," it submitted. Ms. Moitra further sought a direction from the apex court to restrain the Election Commission of India from issuing similar orders for SIR of electoral rolls in other states of the country. "It is submitted that it is for the very first time in the country that such an exercise is being conducted by ECI, where electors whose names are already there in electoral rolls and who have already voted multiple times in are being asked to prove their eligibility," the plea filed through advocate Neha Rathi said. The plea said "the impugned SIR order requires the inclusion or retention of a voter's name in the electoral roll upon production of citizenship documents, including proof of citizenship of either or both parents, failing which the voter is at risk of requirement is ultra vires Article 326 and introduces extraneous qualifications not contemplated by the Constitution of the RP Act 1950.' A similar plea has also been filed by NGO Association of Democratic Reforms challenging the poll panel's direction for SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar. The ECI on June 24 issued instructions to carry out an SIR in Bihar, apparently to weed out ineligible names and ensure only eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll. Bihar goes to polls later this year. The NGO has also sought setting aside of the order and communication, arguing that it violates Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326 of the Constitution, as well as provisions of the Representation of People's Act, 1950, and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The NGO's plea filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan said the EC order "can arbitrarily and without due process" disenfranchise lakhs of voters and disrupt free and fair elections. "That the documentation requirements of the directive, lack of due process as well as the unreasonably short timeline for the said Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Roll in Bihar further make this exercise bound to result in removal of names of lakhs of genuine voters from electoral rolls leading to their disenfranchisement," the plea said. The last such revision in Bihar was conducted in 2003. According to the EC, the exercise was necessitated by rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths, and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants. It said with the exercise, it wants to ensure the integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls. The SIR is being conducted by booth officers, who are conducting a house-to-house survey for verification. The EC said it will scrupulously adhere to the constitutional and legal provisions as laid down in Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, in carrying out the revision. Several other civil society organisations like PUCL and activists like Yogendra Yadav have approached the top court against the ECI's direction.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
TMC MP Mahua Moitra moves Supreme Court against EC's revision of electoral rolls in Bihar
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader and Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra has moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Election Commission of India for special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. In her plea, Moitra said she seeks setting aside of the order dated June 24 under which Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is being conducted in alleged violation of various provisions of the Constitution. "The present writ petition has been filed in public interest under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking setting aside of order dated 24.06.2025 issued by Election Commission of India under which SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar is being conducted in violation of Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 21, 325, 328 of the Constitution and provisions of Representation of People (RP) Act, 1950 and Registration of Electors (RER) Rules, 1960 which, if not set aside, can lead to large-scale disenfranchisement of eligible voters in the country thereby undermining democracy and free and fair elections," it submitted. Moitra further sought a direction from the apex court to restrain the Election Commission of India from issuing similar orders for SIR of electoral rolls in other states of the country. "It is submitted that it is for the very first time in the country that such an exercise is being conducted by ECI, where electors whose names are already there in electoral rolls and who have already voted multiple times in are being asked to prove their eligibility," the plea filed through advocate Neha Rathi said.
