Whether institutions like Lions Clubs & Rotary Clubs in India are public authority as per RTI Act ?

**pcbali** · 03-28-2010, 08:07 PM

Many reputed international service organizations like Lions Club International & Rotary International have their presence in almost all countries of world. In India, also, these organizations are having their affiliated branch clubs/ associations in every nook and corner using the name of main organization added with tag of local City name like “Rotary Club Delhi”, “Lions Club Chennai” etc. Rather various areas have some time many a different branch clubs like “Jaycee Club of Delhi South” etc. These organizations have a special designed hierarchical structure in which Indian Territory is divided in various Districts. Each such district is containing a vast area and the boundaries are covering more than two or three or more states. Every District is further divided in to Regions and every Region in to Zones and every zone have various branch clubs under its administrative control. Indian Citizens can become the members of such branch clubs by paying a fixed Entrance fee ones and annual subscription regularly. Out of this money, a major part goes to the International Headquarter and a portion also to District. Every District is governed by an officer in charge mostly called “The Governor” who is local representative of the organization. These branch clubs, Zones, Regions and Districts are running various service projects and those projects are being funded by donations from public, government monetary aids, Government grants, Government free supplies etc from time to time, subsidized government leased lands and they collect various other donations and earnings like raffle draws, fates, entertainment parks, hospitals, education institutes, training institutes and other profit making ventures. There is other aspect of working of these clubs that a lot of money is also being spent on eating, drinking and self enjoyment and entertainment of the club members. While these clubs are supposed to maintain separate account for Self Entertainment and separate for Projects and the money received on account of service projects are not to be utilized by the entertainment, the discipline might not be kept strictly as statuary.
I am of the opinion that these units come under the preview of RTI as these are utilizing public funds and as well as government aid too like availability of government Land on token lease and open financial help from time to time.
Let us make a debate that if these clubs are “Public Authority” in context to RTI Act Section 2 (h) (d) (i & ii) and can designated “The District Governor” and others can be asked for some information

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**karira** · 03-28-2010, 09:57 PM

Sponsorer

You have to first establish whether these clubs are "substantially financed" or not by the Government (centre or state).
What is the total amount of financing ?
What is the proportion of financing by the Govt. to the total finance they have ?

That is the only criteria that you can use to determine whether they fall under Sec 2(h) or not.

**anilnakra** · 03-29-2010, 11:23 AM

this said club must be covered in RTi as center as well as state govt. provide facilitate like providing them doctors and other medical staff for various camps like eyes camp.etc clubs are taking land from govt on throw away prices ie price much lesser than market or reserve price . one govt. of India branch named ALIMCO head office in Kanpur provides tri-cycle calipers jaipur foot etc to clubs totally free of cost even transportation were also provide by the govt.
some one should file RTI against this said lions, rotary club and then in 2nd appeal this matter will be decided
now income tax department had made compulsay to file audited report after so many misuse of funds and spend the charity money in parties and social working
mr PC bali you should come forward and matter will be decided and will benifites to all

anil nakra

**karira** · 03-29-2010, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by anilnakra

some one should file RTI against this said lions, rotary club and then in 2nd appeal this matter will be decided

No doubt the matter will go to Second Appeal (or you can even file a Complaint under Sec 18(1)(a))
You must prepare your case from the RTI Application stage itself.
This will help you draft a better RTI application which will ensure that the CIC hears your argument properly.

First, investigate as suggested in post #2 above and the proceed.

Otherwise you are doomed to fail and you are sowing the seeds of failure right in the initial stages itself.

**colnrkurup** · 10-03-2010, 05:00 AM

Anyone who has an ioto of knowledge of the working of the Lions club or Rotary can well understand that it is not a public authority. Yes there may be an odd instance of of odd place where a piece of land might have been sold to these clubs from government once upon a time. That may be of an old story when land was available in plenty and available at throw away prices. Now-days no government give such land to these clubs. Simily no grants or aid from the government is given to these clubs also. Doctors take active part in such clubs not on direction from government but on their personal capacity in their own time and expenditure.

These clubs get money from contribution from members or charity collection from public. Invididual subscriptions of these clubs are unbelievably high. Similary the international headquarters of these clubs also pump back part of the subscribition to the club out of the contributions made by the members to the international headquarters. Government has absolutely no control over it. The contribution/subscriptions of individualmembers are very high.Even in Tellicherry which is not even a District HQ, apart from various other contributions the yearly club subscription alone is more than 6000 per year out of which more than Rs.3000 go to District and International HQ.

These clubs consists of law abiding cityzens from the upper strata of the society The Governor or Past governors are likely to provide the information if ordered by the SIC out of ignorance of the RTI. Even if those clubs wish to contest the orders the expenditure on litigation has to be met by the individual and not by the club.

If such an order is made to Lions or Rotarians who have any knowlegeof RTI, say to persons like me or my club such orders are likely to be ignored . Nothing can be done by the SIC as no government agency has any control over such clubs.

It is too bad that the Gen Grover, the IC who made the order is too ignorant on the working of the Lions Club.