- (1.) IN this writ petition, the petitioners have prayed for quashing the order dated 1st November, 2007 passed by the state Information Commissioner in Appeal no. 506 of 2007, whereby the petitioner has been asked to furnish the details, as mentioned in item Nos. 8 and 17 of the information sought by the applicant-Respondent No. 1 under the Right to Information Act. The petitioners have also prayed for quashing the order dated 5th October, 2007 passed in the said appeal by which also the petitioners were asked to furnish the said information.
(2.) MAIN grievance of the petitioners is that the information, which has been sought in the said items, is regarding disclosure of the reserve Price fixed by the petitioners for the period 2002 to 2006 for sale of Kendu Leaves lots and minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors. According to the petitioners, the -said information cannot be furnished, as the i same are trade secret and commercial confidence and disclosure will not be in the public interest.
(3.) I have heard learned counsel for the petitioner and perused the orders passed by the learned State Information Commissioner and the Appellate Authority. On going through the orders, I find that the said points were taken before the learned State information Commissioner, who had considered the same and held that the information asked for by the applicant-Respondent No. 1, particularly, item Nos. 8 and 17, is not of the nature, which cannot be furnished. It has been contended that the main object of the said Act is to bring transparency in the public functioning and the said information cannot be withheld. The Commissioner has directed the petitioners to furnish the information, as required by the applicant-Respondent No. 1 in his application at item nos. 8 and 17. The only ground taken by the petitioner before this Court is that the state Information Commissioner cannot force disclosure of the said information, which comes within the commercial confidence and trade secret of the petitioner-Corporation.;