When a new Chief Information Commissioner is appointed, he or she will find a mammoth 10,000 Right to Information appeals pending. The new government’s delay in appointing a new chief has led to the pendency shooting up, much of it surrounding new policy decisions taken by the government.
The Chief Information Commissioner heads the Central Information Commission, the body that hears appeals from information-seekers who have not been satisfied by the public authority, and also addresses major issues concerning the RTI Act. Since August 22, when CIC Rajiv Mathur retired, the government has not appointed a chief. Instead of convening a meeting and promoting the most senior commissioner, the NDA government in the last week of October advertised for a new chief. Monday was the last day for applications.
RTI activist Commodore (retd.) Lokesh K. Batra filed a query with the panel, asking how many cases had been pending before the chief as on August 23 and as on November 22. The CIC in its reply said it was 10,290 cases.
"At this rate, people are going to lose faith in the commission and in the Act," Mr. Batra told The Hindu.