Chandigarh, Aug. 18 -- In a decision that has brought all 18 private universities in Punjab under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, the Punjab State Information Commission has ruled that private universities established through Acts of the state legislature are "public authorities" under the transparency law. Passing an order on August 14 in the case of Akal University, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, chief information commissioner Inderpal Singh declared the university a public authority under Section 2 (h) of the RTI Act and directed it to appoint a public information officer (PIO) and first appellate authority (FAA). The university has also been directed to make mandatory disclosures prescribed under the Act on its official website. The order came on an appeal filed by Ramandeep Kumar, a former assistant professor at Akal University's physics department, who had sought his salary slips from July 2015 to October 2021. Akal University had contested the maintainability of his RTI application, arguing that it was not a public authority under Section 2(h). Rejecting the contention, the commission observed that Akal University had been established through an Act enacted by the Punjab Legislature. Section 2 (h)(c) specifically includes any authority, body or institution established or constituted by a law made by a state legislature within the definition of a public authority. The commission also took note of the university's governance structure, including the Punjab governor being its Visitor and government nominees being represented on various committees. These provisions, it said, indicated the university's statutory character and its linkage with government oversight. The order further emphasised that the RTI Act seeks to promote transparency and accountability, with maximum disclosure and minimum exemptions. The commission referred to Supreme Court judgments underscoring citizens' right to information as an essential component of democratic governance. The case also raised questions over the university's claim regarding the non-availability of records. The university submitted that records relating to the Kalgidhar Trust/Society campus at Baru Sahib in Himachal Pradesh had been destroyed or damaged in flash floods in 2022. However, the appellant pointed out that proceedings concerning gratuity deductions and financial recoveries had taken place in 2023. The commission has directed the university's PIO to produce the complete file relating to the recoveries and gratuity deductions made from the appellant in 2023. If no such recoveries were made, the university will have to submit an affidavit confirming this. The chief finance and accounts officer has also been impleaded as a necessary party and directed to file sworn affidavits regarding the location and destruction of the relevant records, including salary bills for July 2015 to October 2021. The commission warned that failure to comply could lead to bailable warrants against the chief finance and accounts officer or the PIO-cum-registrar. The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 14....