Supreme Court Demands Action on Information Commission Vacancies

The Supreme Court has urged the central and state governments to promptly address vacancies in the Central Information Commission and state information commissions. It emphasized the need for timely appointments to maintain the efficacy of the Right to Information Act. Several states were directed to expedite the process.

In a decisive move, the Supreme Court has called upon the Centre and state governments to urgently fill vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC) and state information commissions (SICs). The apex court emphasized the crucial need for timely appointments to ensure the continued effectiveness of the 2005 Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Presided over by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, the court noted grave concerns over the current vacancy scenario, which sees eight out of eleven positions in the CIC unfilled, including the post of chief information commissioner. The court pressed for immediate submission of progress reports from states like Jharkhand, Tripura, and Telangana, where SICs have become nearly defunct.

Despite prior directives dating back to 2019, many positions remain vacant, potentially undermining the RTI Act. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing petitioner Anjali Bhardwaj, accused the Centre and states of failing to comply, risking legal action for contempt if they don't expedite appointments.

(With inputs from agencies.)