Context:
- Raj Kumar Goyal was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) by President Droupadi Murmu.
- Along with him, eight new Information Commissioners took oath, completing the full sanctioned strength of the Central Information Commission (CIC).
- This marks the first time in nine years that all vacancies in the CIC have been filled, addressing long-standing concerns over pendency and institutional capacity.
Key Highlights:
Institutional Development / Governance Aspect
- The Central Information Commission now has a full panel of 10 members (1 CIC + 9 Information Commissioners).
- Newly appointed Information Commissioners:
- Surendra Singh Meena
- Ashutosh Chaturvedi
- Swagat Das
- Sudha Rani Relangi
- P. R. Ramesh
- Khushwant Singh Sethi
- Jaya Varma Sinha
- Sanjeev Kumar Jindal
Role of the Central Information Commission
- Established under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
- Adjudicates:
- Appeals against decisions of Public Information Officers (PIOs).
- Complaints related to denial or delay of information.
- Acts as a quasi-judicial body ensuring transparency and accountability.
Significance of Filling All Vacancies
- Enables faster disposal of RTI appeals and complaints.
- Expected to reduce case backlog, which had increased due to prolonged vacancies.
- Strengthens citizens’ trust in transparency institutions.
- Reinforces the Right to Information as a democratic tool.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Issue: Prolonged vacancies affecting the functioning of CIC.
- Causes:
- Delays in appointments.
- Rising number of RTI appeals.
- Government Initiative:
- Appointment of full CIC panel under RTI Act provisions.
- Benefits:
- Improved efficiency in grievance redressal.
- Stronger enforcement of transparency norms.
- Challenges:
- High pendency of RTI cases.
- Need for institutional autonomy.
- Impact:
- Enhanced accountability in public administration.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Key Facts & Provisions:
- RTI Act, 2005 empowers citizens to access information from public authorities.
- CIC consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and up to 10 Information Commissioners.
- Static + Conceptual Linkages:
- Transparency as a pillar of good governance.
- CIC as an independent oversight institution.
- Governance Perspective:
- Vacancies weaken statutory bodies.
- Timely appointments are essential for institutional effectiveness.
- Way Forward:
- Ensure time-bound appointments to CIC.
- Strengthen digital RTI platforms for faster case management.
- Safeguard functional independence of Information Commissions.
- Increase public awareness about RTI mechanisms.
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
- GS Paper 2: Polity (RTI Act, Statutory Bodies), Governance (Transparency, Accountability).
- Prelims: CIC, RTI Act, Information Commissioners, Constitutional and statutory bodies.