Central Information Commission goes headless again

New Delhi: After Chief Information Commissioner Heeralal Samariya demitted office on Saturday, the Central Information Commission (CIC) is again left without a chief - the sixth time since 2014, officials said.

The Commission has only two Information Commissioners -- Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari -- against eight vacancies, they said.

Samariya, who had became Chief Information Commissioner on November 6, 2023, had to demit office on attaining the age of 65 years, according to an office order issued by the Commission.

The commission, the highest appellate authority to adjudicate RTI-related complaints and appeals, had gone headless for the first time in August 2014 after the retirement of Rajiv Mathur.

Now, it sixth instance that it is left without a Chief Information Commissioner.

According to the RTI Act, the CIC has a Chief Information Commissioner and 10 Information Commissioners who adjudicate complaints and appeals filed by RTI applicants against the unsatisfactory orders of government officials on their applications.

In a RTI response to activist Commodore Lokesh Batra (retired), the Department of Personnel and Training had said 83 applications were received for the post of Chief Information Commissioner in response to its advertisement issued on May 21.

It also said that 161 applications were received in response to advertisement issued on August 14, 2024 for the vacancies against the post of Information Commissioners in the CIC.

"It is to be understood that unlike courts where Acting Chief Justices are invariably appointed '“ there no provision in the RTI Act, 2005 for the appointment of acting Chief Information Commissioner," Batra told PTI.

He said the vacant position of the Chief Information Commissioner means several administrative and financial decisions remain in limbo till the next incumbent is positioned.

"Moreover process of posting of eight Information Commissioners in CIC is pending for over a year now - for which the government had advertised in August 2024," he said.

According to the procedure for the appointment of Chief Information Commissioner in the CIC particulars of interested persons are invited through advertisements in newspapers and thorough DoPT Website.

These details are tabulated by DoPT and sent to a Search Committee constituted by the Prime Minister and chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.

The names as well shortlisted ones along with their applications are sent to the committee headed by the prime minister and also comprising of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Cabinet minister.

Persons recommended by the prime minister-led committee are appointed by the President.