- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23384 WP No. 26007 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO. 26007 OF 2023 (GM-RES) BETWEEN: SRI. HARISH KUMAR B.S., S/O SHARANAPPA B., AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS PROJECT DIRECTOR CHITRADURGA NIRMITHI KENDRA NEAR MEDHAHALLI CHITRADURGA DISTRICT – 577 502 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAHUL P., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER MAHITH SOUDHA, 104 1ST FLOOR, DEVRAJ URS ROAD OPP. VIDHANA SOUDHA, WEST GATE - 2 BENGALURU – 560 001 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER CHITRADURGA DISTRICT CHITRADURGA - 577 502 3. SRI.PRAKASH MURTHY FATHER NAME NOT KNOWN TO PETITIONER MAJOR R/AT SHIVALINGAPPA LAYOUT HOSADURGA – 577 527 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. SHARATH GOWDA G.B., ADVOCATE FOR R1 SRI.MAHANTESH SHETTAR, AGA FOR R2) Digitally signed by SUVARNA T Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23384 WP No. 26007 of 2023 THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER IN KIC/14367/APL/2018 DATED 27.06.2023 VIDE ANNEXURE-A, PASSED BY THE R1. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI ORAL ORDER The present writ petition is filed seeking the following prayer. “Wherefore, the petitioner humbly prays that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased t issue a:- i) Issue a writ of certiorari by quashing the impugned order in KIC/14367/APL/2018 dated 27.06.2023 vide Annexure-A, passed by respondent No.1. ii) T pass an appropriate order/s as deems fit by this Hon’ble Cuort in the interest of justice and equity.” 2. It is the case in the writ petitioner that respondent No.1 has passed the impugned order against the petitioner directing the petitioner to provide information and documents sought by respondent No.3 as Public Information Officer under the Right to Information Act,2005. According to the petitioner, the petitioner is not a public authority as defined under the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23384 WP No. 26007 of 2023 Right to Information Act and it is stated that one Nirmithi Kendra of Chitradurga had approached the Court in similar case in PIO & The Project Director V.s The State Information Commissioner1 and the same was stayed. Based on that, an interim order was passed in this case. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has placed before this Court the order i.e., passed in WP No.52581/2017 dated 06.08.2025, wherein the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court has considered and held that the project director Nirmithi Kendra falls under the definition of “public authority” and is amenable to the Right to Information Act. In the light of the order dated 06.08.2025 passed in W.P.52581/2017, the writ petition is dismissed. i. Pending IAs., if any, shall stand closed. SD/- (LALITHA KANNEGANTI) JUDGE PKN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 55 1 WP No.52581/2017 dated 06.08.2025