Rejecting the contention of the Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital Health Education Society (SATHHES) that it did not come under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the State Information Commission on Thursday issued directions to immediately appoint a State Public Information Officer (SPIO) in the institution.
The order was issued by State Information Commissioner Sreekumar M. based on an appeal filed by Thiruvananthapuram native Sindhu S. In her RTI application, she had sought detailed information about gratuity disbursed to employees of SATHHES between January 2017 and September 2021, including names, addresses, amounts and dates of payment.
The society administration had initially denied the request, stating that SATHHES does not fall under the ambit of the RTI Act. This was reiterated by the appellate authority. However, the Commission ruled otherwise after a hearing held recently.
Intertwined with govt.
The order states that while SATHHES is registered under the Travancore – Cochin Literary, Scientific, Cultural and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955, its executive and administrative structure is intertwined with the State government. The institution’s executive council and governing body comprise government officials, including the Principal of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College, the superintendent of Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital, and officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The Commission also observed that the society operates from government-owned premises without paying rent and is administered by government employees. As a result, the argument that SATHHES is not a public institution cannot be accepted as it functioned under the direct control of the State government. This made the society obligated to disclose information under the RTI Act, the order stated.
Published – June 06, 2025 08:39 pm IST
