1. The petitioner, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, an Autonomous Private Engineering College, affiliated to Anna University, Tirunelveli, has challenged the order of the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, Chennai, which held that the College is a Public Authority, amenable to the jurisdiction of the Commission.

2. Facts of this case are as follows:

The College is aided by the State Government for payment of salary to teaching and non-teaching staff. Five Under-Graduate and six Post-Graduate posts are aided by the Government. That apart, the College is running 7 Under Graduate and 8 Post Graduate courses, from out of their own funds, without any aid. Mr. T.K. Ravindranath, second respondent herein, has made an application on 16.07.2009, seeking certain information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as "the RTI Act"). A reply has been sent by the Registrar of the College that it is not a public authority, as contemplated under the Act and therefore, no information can be furnished. An appeal in Case No.20402/Enquiry/2009, has been preferred to the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, Chennai, first respondent herein by the second respondent, c