Karnataka High Court Declares Nirmithi Kendras as Public Authorities Under RTI Act

The Karnataka High Court ruled that Nirmithi Kendras qualify as public authorities under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The court upheld a 2017 order by the State Information Commission (SIC) directing the Medahalli Nirmithi Kendra in Chitradurga to provide information under the RTI Act.

The Kendra had previously argued it was not subject to the RTI Act, claiming it was a private entity, but the court found it was established by the state government, funded by HUDCO, and operated under government control, making it a public authority obligated to disclose information. 

The court also imposed a ₹50,000 cost on the Nirmithi Kendra for its refusal to comply with transparency obligations.