BENGLORE: In a significant development, the High Court has clarified and issued an order stating that the prestigious Century Club in Bangalore falls under the scope of the RTI (Right to Information) Act. The High Court has upheld the order issued by the Information Commission, which stated that the Century Club is a public authority and is therefore subject to the provisions of the Right to Information Act.
The single-member bench, presided over by Justice Suraj Govindaraju, issued this order while hearing a petition filed by the Century Club challenging the ruling of the Information Commission. The then Maharaja had sanctioned 7.5 acres of land for the Century Club, which was part of the Mysore princely state. In return, the Maharaja did not receive any payment from the club.
Furthermore, the club is currently operating on the 7.5 acres of land approved by the Mysore Maharaja. Without this land, the existence of the club would be in jeopardy.
The current market value of the land provided to the club by the Mysore Maharaja is worth hundreds of crores of rupees, yet the membership fees paid by the members are minimal. Considering all these aspects, the court stated that the government has provided significant funding to the club. Therefore, the High Court bench concluded that the Century Club will come under the purview of the Right to Information Act.


