New Delhi: Despite a month having passed since the term of Chief Information Commission R.K. Mathur ended, the Centre has not filled the post. This is also the third time in the present regime that the post has been allowed to lie vacant. What has also irked right to information activists is that the Centre is still giving confusing signals about by it would make the appointment.
Co-convener of National Campaign for People’s Right to Information Anjali Bhardwaj said the Centre is still not spelling out by when it would appoint the new CIC chief. Also, she said, no timeline has been provided for the appointment of the seven information commissioners to the panel. At the moment, the Commission is working with just three ICs.
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No clarity on how many positions will be filled
She said Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge earlier spoke about the Centre telling the panel that it has taken a decision on the appointment of the chief CIC but not on the four information commissioners. But later in the Supreme Court, it said that it was looking to fill all the four posts.
In fact, it was on Bhardwaj’s petition that the apex court on December 13 directed the Centre to “put on the website the names of the Search Committee, the names of the candidates who have been shortlisted as well as the criteria which is followed for selection”.
Centre told SC 64 applications received for chief’s post, appointment soon
During the hearing in the case, Additional Solicitor General submitted before the three-judge bench that “insofar as the post of Chief Information Commissioner is concerned, pursuant to the advertisement, 64 applications were received. It is further informed that insofar as the posts of Information Commissioners are concerned, 4 posts are advertised and 280 applications were received”.
The Centre also submitted that the advertisement was uploaded on the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) website. It also stated that the Selection Committee held a meeting on December 11. It said “the recommendation in respect of appointment of Chief Information Commissioner has been finalised and it is expected that the person shall be appointed soon”.
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As for the post of information commissioners, it stated that “having regard to a large number of applications, process could not be completed on that day” and that this process would also be completed soon.
SC told Centre to issue advertisement for remaining vacancies too
The Supreme Court also noted that three more posts of information commissioners were lying vacant. “It would be appropriate to initiate the process of filling up these posts as well by issuing an advertisement at the earliest,” the Bench said.
However, with nearly two weeks having passed since and no action being taken by the Centre, RTI activists staged a protest outside the CIC building in Munirka on Wednesday.
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Pendency of appeals, complaints touches 27,000 mark in CIC
It was pointed out during the protest that vacancies of information commissioners, including the chief, were hindering peoples’ fundamental right to information. It was also increasing the pendency of appeals and complaints which has already reached the 27,000 mark. Moreover, many appellant have been waiting for orders in the cases for over two years.
The activists also accused the Narendra Modi government of not making any appointments to the Commission with a nudge from the courts. They said it has also not made any appointment to the Commission since 2016 leading to eight vacancies now.