Are state rifle associations covered under RTI Act?

[milind]

Dear All,
Can anybody please provide me the following information.
1) Does MRA or any other state rifle association come under RTI?
2) Why don't any State rifle association (including MRA) gives the official list of all affiliated rifle clubs in its website.
3) what is process of getting affiliation for a rifle club from MRA?

Love
Milind

[SMJ]

Hi Milind,
I am not sure of the first point but MRA is affiliated to the NRAI.So all cubs linked to the NRAI are automatically affiliated is my guess. I dont know what you intend to ask but if you mean to suggest that "affiliation" to another club allows you to use its facility maybe free of charge I dont think that happens as far as I know (I could be wrong but its what I was told at the MRA as a non competitive shooter). Rules may be different for competitive shooters. Of course a senior or more experienced member here can give you a comprehensive answer!

[goodboy_mentor]

Can anybody please provide me the following information.
1) Does MRA or any other state rifle association come under RTI?

Anything that means "the State" as described in Article 12 of the Constitution, the RTI Act 2005 applies to that entity. What does that mean in simple language? It means, "the State" includes any organization that -

is owned, controlled or substantially financed by Government

or

is a non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government

If the answer is yes to any of the conditions mentioned above, then it must have "public authority" created under RTI Act 2005 to provide "information". This can be confirmed by reading Section 2(h)(i)&(ii) of RTI Act 2005.

Therefore find out if MRA or any other state rifle association is owned, controlled or substantially financed by Government or is a non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by Government. If answer is yes, then RTI Act 2005 applies.

2) Why don't any State rifle association (including MRA) gives the official list of all affiliated rifle clubs in its website.

If RTI Act 2005 applies to any State rifle association (including MRA), then Sections 4(1),(2),(3)&(4) of RTI Act 2005 also applies.

Sections 4(2),(3)&(4) of RTI Act 2005 clearly says -

(2) It shall be a constant endeavour of every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information.

(3) For the purposes of sub-section (1), every information shall be disseminated widely and in such form and manner which is easily accessible to the public.

(4) All materials shall be disseminated taking into consideration the cost effectiveness, local language and the most effective method of communication in that local area and the information should be easily accessible, to the extent possible in electronic format with the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, available free or at such cost of the medium or the print cost price as may be prescribed.

Explanation.—For the purposes of sub-sections (3) and (4), "disseminated" means making known or communicated the information to the public through notice boards, newspapers, public announcements, media broadcasts, the internet or any other means, including inspection of offices of any public authority.

Using RTI Act 2005, you can ask to gives the official list of all affiliated rifle clubs and the amount of time required to put the same information on website as required by Sections 4(2),(3)&(4) of RTI Act 2005.

3) what is process of getting affiliation for a rifle club from MRA?

If RTI Act 2005 applies, the same can be asked from MRA, if the same is not already mentioned on it's website, and the amount of time required to put the same information on website as required by Sections 4(2),(3)&(4) of RTI Act 2005.

[milind]

Thank you SMJ, but my inquiry is not to use the shooting range of other affiliated club free but as a genuine question that I had while using MRA website for this information. Office bearers were very reluctant giving full list. Hence the question.

Thanks to GoodboyMentor, now I am feeling confident of getting the desired information officially.