Govt calls for applications to fill posts of info commissioners

NEW DELHI: After coming under flak from the Opposition parties for proposing amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the central government on Sunday invited applications to fill vacant posts of Information Commissioners in Central Information Commission (CIC).

At present, there are six information commissioners in the CIC as against the sanctioned strength of 10. RK Mathur is the incumbent Chief Information Commissioner of India.

The advertisement taken out by the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions states, “It is proposed to appoint information commissioners in the CIC. Persons fulfilling the criteria and interested for appointment to the post of information commissioners may send their particulars….” It adds, “The salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the Information Commissioners shall be as may be specified at the time of appointment of the selected candidate/s.”

An application for the post should be below 65 years, of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. The person should not be a Member of Parliament or of the Legislative Assembly, or hold any office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.

RTI activists have accused the government of trying to dilute the Act with proposed amendments, according to which salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the CIC and the ICS along with the latter’s tenures “shall be such as may be prescribed by the Centre.”

THE CIC HAS AT PRESENT SIX INFORMATION COMMISSIONERS AS AGAINST SANCTIONED STRENGTH OF TEN