Selection Committee Meets to Appoint Next Chief Information Commissioner

NEW DELHI: A selection committee, led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to convene on Wednesday afternoon to identify candidates for the role of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and other information commissioners (ICs) at the Central Information Commission (CIC).

The government's move comes after it informed the Supreme Court on December 1 that the meeting would take place on December 10. The CIC has been operating without a chief since Heeralal Samariya left office on September 13, following his retirement at the age of 65.

In addition to the chief position, the commission can include up to ten information commissioners. Currently, it is functioning with only two ICs: Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari. This leaves eight IC positions unoccupied since November 2023. The vacancy of the chief’s role marks the seventh instance since 2014 that the position has been unfilled.

Under Section 12 (3) of the Right to Information Act, the Prime Minister serves as the chairperson of the selection committee, which also includes the leader of the opposition and a Union minister appointed by the Prime Minister. This structure is designed to ensure a balanced representation during the selection process.

The appointment procedure for the CIC involves inviting applications from interested candidates through public advertisements. These applications are compiled by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and forwarded to a search committee led by the Cabinet Secretary. The names of potential candidates, as well as those shortlisted, are then submitted to the committee headed by the Prime Minister.

As the Central Information Commission plays a crucial role in maintaining transparency and accountability in government operations, the timely appointment of the chief commissioner and the information commissioners is essential for its effective functioning.