Central Information Commission (CIC)
- Statutory Body under RTI Act, 2005
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Constitutional/Statutory Basis
- Statutory Body: Established under Section 12 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
- Not a constitutional body.
Composition
- Chief Information Commissioner (CIC).
- Up to 10 Information Commissioners (ICs).
- Appointed by: President of India on the recommendation of a committee:
- Prime Minister (Chairperson)
- Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
- Union Cabinet Minister (nominated by PM)
Eligibility
- Eminent public life persons with knowledge/experience in: Law, S&T, Journalism, Mass media, Admin, etc.
- Disqualifications:
- Cannot be MP/MLA
- Cannot hold any office of profit, political affiliations, or business/profession.
Tenure & Service Conditions
- Tenure: As prescribed by the Central Government or till age 65.
- No reappointment (CIC or IC).
- Service Conditions & Salary: Determined by Central Government (Amended in 2019).
Powers
-
- Quasi-Judicial Authority: Has powers of a civil court.
- Can:
- Summon witnesses/documents.
- Examine public records.
- Recommend penalties.
- Can direct:
-
- Disclosure of info.
- Appointment of PIOs.
- Compensation to applicants.
- Suo Moto Inquiry: Allowed.
Functions
- Inquires into:
-
- Refusal or delay of RTI requests.
- Unreasonable fees.
- False/incomplete information.
- Submits annual reports to the Central Government (laid before Parliament).
- Promotes compliance with RTI.
Right to Information Act, 2005
- Objective: Enhance transparency and accountability.
- Based on Article 19(1)(a) – Freedom of speech and expression.
- Replaced Freedom of Information Act, 2002.
RTI (Amendment) Act, 2019
- Major Changes:
- Tenure of CIC/ICs now decided by Central Government (earlier 5 years fixed).
- Salary/service conditions also determined by Central Govt.
- Removed deduction in salary for previous pension holders.
Challenges with CIC
- Vacancies and Backlog: Delay in appointments affects efficiency.
- Lack of Transparency in appointments.
- Low Awareness about RTI, especially in rural/marginalized groups.
- Poor Record Management and untrained PIOs.
- Dilution of Independence post 2019 Amendment.
- Threats to RTI activists and whistleblowers.
Way Forward
- Transparent Appointments as per SC directions.
- Strengthen Infrastructure: Digitize records, improve training of PIOs.
- Mass Awareness Campaigns for citizens.
- Whistleblower Protection Act must be operationalised.
- Restore Fixed Tenure and independence.
Conclusion
The CIC remains the backbone of India’s transparency regime. In times of increasing opacity in governance, the CIC must be strengthened institutionally, financially, and legally to ensure RTI remains a powerful citizen-centric tool for accountability.
Prelims Pointers
- CIC is a statutory body under Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
- Does not cover private bodies unless funded/controlled by the government.
- CIC decisions are binding on public authorities, subject to High Court/Supreme Court review.