Chief Information Commissioner

 WHY IS IT IN NEWS?

• The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, and the Union Home Minister met to finalise appointments to the Central Information Commission (CIC).
• The panel has to select a new Chief Information Commissioner and eight Information Commissioners.
• The meeting also discussed names for vacant Vigilance Commissioner posts in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
• Rahul Gandhi reportedly submitted a dissent note on some proposed names.
• The meeting coincided with a Lok Sabha debate on electoral reforms, where concerns were raised regarding appointment processes for independent constitutional/statutory bodies.

Relevance

GS-II – Polity & Governance

• Statutory bodies under RTI Act (CIC)
• Appointment process; balance between executive & LoP
• Transparency, checks & balances, institutional independence
• Role of CVC; anti-corruption oversight
• Issues of vacancies & backlog in quasi-judicial bodies

GS-II – Separation of Powers

• Judicial interventions on appointments (e.g., EC judgment 2023)
• Autonomy of oversight institutions

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION (CIC)?

a) Constitutional or statutory?

• Statutory body created under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

b) Mandate

• Adjudicates appeals and complaints relating to the Right to Information (RTI).
• Ensures transparency and accountability of public authorities.

c) Composition

• One Chief Information Commissioner
• Up to 10 Information Commissioners

d) Appointment mechanism (RTI Act, Section 12(3))

Appointments are made by the President on recommendation of a committee comprising:

1. Prime Minister (Chair)
2. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
3. Union Cabinet Minister nominated by PM

In current practice, the Home Minister is often the nominated Cabinet Minister.

e) Tenure

• 3 years or until age 65, whichever earlier (after 2019 amendment).

WHY ARE THESE APPOINTMENTS SIGNIFICANT?

a) Backlog and vacancies

• Several vacancies have remained unfilled, causing delays in RTI appeals.
• Appointment of eight Commissioners + CIC is expected to reduce backlog significantly.

b) Independence of RTI regime

• CIC is central to enforcing transparency across government ministries.
• Selection must be credible, impartial, and timely to maintain public trust.

c) Wider governance context

• Occurs amid national debates on institutional autonomy, including:
  • Election Commission appointments
  • Vigilance institutions
  • Tribunals and regulatory authorities

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION (CVC)?

a) Statutory body

• Created under the CVC Act, 2003.

b) Mandate

• Supervises vigilance administration.
• Oversees CBI investigations in corruption cases.

c) Composition

• Central Vigilance Commissioner
• Up to two Vigilance Commissioners

d) Appointment Committee

• PM (Chair)
• Home Minister
• Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

Thus, the same selection arrangement as CIC.

Vacancies here also impact functioning of anti-corruption mechanisms.

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