Kumar, J.

The petitioner has preferred this writ petition seeking quashing of Annexure-C, the Notification dated 22.9.2005 issued by the 2nd respondent.

2. The petitioner is a Co-operative Bank registered under the provisions of the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959. The petitioner contends that the Co-operative Society is not a public authority, as such, the provisions of Right to Information Act, 2005 is not applicable to the Co-operative Society. It does not come within the meaning of a public authority under Section 2 (h) of the Act. In fact, the National Federation of Co-operative Banking has issued clarification to the effect that the Co-operative Banks/Societies are not covered under the R.T.I. Act. The 2nd respondent has issued a Notification dated 22.9.2005 as if the Co-operative Banks or Societies are public authorities. Annexure-C is the said Notification. Therefore, the petitioner contends that the said Notification is abinitio void. Therefore, they sought for quashing of Annexure-c.

3. The Right to Information Act, 2005 is passed by the Parliament setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.

4. Public authority is defined under Section 2 (h) of the Act which reads as under:

“Public authority” means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted

a) by or under the Constitution;

b) by any other law made by Parliament;

c) by any other law made by State Legislature;

d) by Notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government, and includes any

i) owned, controlled or substantially financed;

ii) non- government organisation substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government.

5. Right to information is also defined under Section 2 (j) of the Act which reads as under:

“Right to information” means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to

(i) inspection of work, documents, records;

(ii) taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records;

(iii) taking certified samples of material;

(iv) obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device.

6. Section 3 of the Act mandates that all citizens shall have the right to information subject to the provisions of the Act. Section 4 of the Act casts an obligation on all the public authorities to maintain records and to furnish information as contemplated under the Act.

7. The impugned Notification has been issued bringing within the ambit of the Act, all the Co-operative Societies registered under the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959 and the Karnataka Souharda Sahakari Act, 1997. The said Notification reads as under:

“Whereas, the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act No.22 of 2005) has come into force vide Central Government Notification dated 21-06-2005. The Co-operative Societies Act, 1959 and the Karnataka Souharda Sahakari Act, 1997, are the public authorities coming under the purview of Section 2(h) of the said Act, for the purpose of providing information to the public under the Right to Information Act, 2005, in the Co-operative Societies Officers have to be designated as Public Information Officers to provide information to persons requesting for information and also the Appellate Authorities have to be designated for disposal of the appeals under the said Act.”

8. A perusal of the aforesaid Notification makes it clear that the State has established or constituted the aforesaid two enactments as public authorities coming under the purview of Section 2 (h) of the said Act. What Section 2 (h) means is, the Gove