The CIC declaring IFFCO free of RTI Act has sent the IFFCO legal team celebrating as it had argued all along that it has no financial dealing with the government and thus it does not fall under the ambit of RTI.
Dr U S Awasthi, Managing Director of IFFCO congratulated his team on this victory. A release from the MD desk stated “My heartfelt congratulations to Sh RP Singh, Director-Legal & HR and his team and all those who stood by us with our principle”.
Talking to Indian Cooperative R P Singh, who is in Paris presently said “such words from the leader indeed encourage us”.
He further said ” We argued our points well as facts were on our side. We stood vindicated ultimately”.
Readers may be aware that on Friday, CIC ruled that Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) does not fit in the definition of public authority and cannot come under the purview of RTI Act because subsidy cannot be construed as substantial financing.
“In the factual matrix of the case, it is evident that the central government has not share capital in IFFCO as of now. Nor has it nominated any Director in the IFFCO’s board of directors,” the bench said.
Rejecting the appeal of S C Agrawal and Dr M Haroon Siddiqui, it said subsidy cannot be construed as substantial financing of IFFCO.