CHIEF INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

CHIEF INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

Subject: Polity

Context: Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the government on a petition challenging a 2020 Central Information Commission (CIC) order in which the statutory body had observed that sufficient information regarding the app was already in public domain.

Concept:

• The Chief Information Commissioner(CIC) and Information Commissioners(CI) shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of

The Prime Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

A Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.

• 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.
• Also, CIC/IC shall not be a MP or MLA, or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.
• CIC shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall not be eligible for reappointment
• Information Commissioner(IC) shall also hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall not be eligible for reappointment of IC. However, IC is eligible for appointment as CIC
• Where the Information Commissioner is appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner, his term of office shall not be more than five years in aggregate as the Information Commissioner and the Chief Information Commissioner.