New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi are holding a closed-door meeting to finalise the appointment of the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). The panel is also expected to decide on filling eight vacant positions for Information Commissioners at the Central Information Commission (CIC).
The CIC serves as the highest appellate authority for Right to Information (RTI) matters, reviewing complaints and appeals from citizens dissatisfied with government responses. Currently, the commission has only two serving Information Commissioners, Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari, leaving eight positions vacant. Over 30,000 cases remain pending, highlighting the urgency of completing these appointments.
The last Chief Information Commissioner, Heeralal Samariya, retired on September 13 after turning 65. He had been appointed to the CIC on November 6, 2023. Following a May 21 advertisement, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) received 83 applications for the Chief Information Commissioner post and 161 applications for the vacant Information Commissioner positions.
Under the RTI Act, the selection of the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners is carried out by a committee chaired by the Prime Minister. The committee also includes the Leader of the Opposition and a union minister nominated by the Prime Minister. The DoPT initially invites applications through newspapers and its website and forwards the shortlisted candidates, prepared by a search committee led by the Cabinet Secretary, to the PM-led panel. Once a candidate is chosen, the President formally appoints the Chief Information Commissioner.
The meeting marks a key step in addressing the CIC’s pending workload and strengthening the implementation of the Right to Information Act, ensuring timely redressal of citizen grievances against public authorities.
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