- (1.) As strange as it may seem, but strictly speaking, the tendency and frequency, of some of the Institutions, of not supplying and taking somersault in denying the informations, have been tremendously increasing day by day, leaving the public at large in general and the information seekers in particular, in lurch to damage the edifice of the democracy and larger public interest. The matter in hand is a burning example of such like cases.
(2.) As identical questions of law and facts are involved and collectively argued by learned counsel for the parties, therefore, I propose to dispose of the instant writ petitions, by virtue of this common judgment, in order to avoid the repetition in this regard. Be that as it may, the facts of individual institutions, which need a necessary mention, for deciding the core controversy, involved in the instant writ petitions, would be separately discussed at the appropriate place and stage in the subsequent part of this judgment.
(3.) The matrix of the facts, culminating in the commencement, relevant for disposal of the present writ petitions and emanating from the record, is that the different information-seekers-private respondent-complainants (for brevity "complainants") moved their respective applications, in all the cases, to the concerned State Public Information-Officers (in short "SPIOs") of the petitioner- Cooperative Societies-banks-Sugar Mills-aided schools-Clubs- Institutions (for short "petitioner-Institutions") and sought the informations depicting therein, invoking the provisions of The Right to Information Act, 2005(hereinafter to be referred as "the RTI Act"). The petitioners-Cooperative Societies, banks & Sugar Mills (at Sr. Nos. 1 to 8) are registered and governed by the provisions of The Punjab/Haryana Cooperative Societies Acts (hereinafter to be referred as "the Cooperative Societies Acts"). Similarly, the petitioners-Gita Girls schools (at Sr. No. 9) are also subjected to the provisions of The Haryana Education Act, 1995 (hereinafter to be referred as "the Education Act") and Haryana Aided Schools (Special Pension and Contributory Provident Fund) Rules, 2001 (hereinafter to be referred as "the Rules"). The petitioners-Model School, Saini Education Society, Punjab Cricket Association (for brevity "PCA"), Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (in short "CLTA"), Jullundar Gymkhana and Sutlej Club (at Sr. Nos. 10 to 15) are regulated by the provisions of The Societies Registration Act, 1860 as well.;