Appointment to Chief Information Commissioner

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance; Statutory Body

Context

• The President of India administered the oath of office to Raj Kumar Goyal as the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission.

About Central Information Commission

• The Central Information Commission (CIC) is a statutory body in India, established under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005).

• The Central Information Commission consists of a Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and not more than ten Information Commissioners (IC).
• The members are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Committee consisting of:
  • The Prime Minister as the Chairperson,
  • The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and
  • A Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
• Term of office: The Chief Information Commissioner, or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, shall hold office for a period of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office.
• Jurisdiction: It extends over all Central Public Authorities.

Eligibility Criteria

• Section 12(5) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the CIC and IC shall be
  • Persons 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.
  • Shall not be a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory as the case may be , or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.

Powers and Functions

• While inquiring, the Commission has the powers of a civil court in respect of the following matters:
  • Summoning and enforcing attendance of persons and compelling them to give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce documents or things; 
  • Requiring the discovery and inspection of documents; 
  • Receiving evidence on affidavit; 
  • Requisitioning any public record from any court or office; 
  • Issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents; and 
  • Any other matter which may be prescribed.
• During the inquiry of a complaint, the Commission may examine any record which is under the control of the public authority and no such record may be withheld from it on any grounds. 
• The decisions of the Commission are final and binding.

Source: PIB