As many as 9,244 appeals are pending in the Telangana Information Commission as on February 24, 2023. On an average 650 appeals are received every month, as per Forum for Good Governance.
The CIC of Telangana Information Commission demitted office about two years back and
The post has not been so far.. For the last two years the Commission has been working without a CIC. Again on February 24, all the five Commissioners demitted office. Since then the Commission has been defunct. The Secretary of the Commission wrote to the gvernment in December 2022 for the appointment of CIC and ICs as the Commission, but there is no response from the government.
Forum for Good Governance requested the Chief Secretary to take steps to appoint a search committee to prepare a select list of candidates based on qualifications fixed in Sec. 15 (5) of the Act and place the select list before the selection committee as per 15 (3) of the Act. In view of the heavy pendency, 10 Information Commissioners with one Chief Information Commissioner may be appointed.
In order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of administration and
to contain corruption, Parliament enacted RTI Act 2005. For effective implementation of the said Act, Information Commission for every state is provided. The State Information Commission consists of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and not more than 10 Information Commissioners.
FGG said, “Government of Telangana is not putting important GOs in its website, with the result, people are kept in dark about the functioning of the government. Lack of transference is encouraging nepotism and corruption. Effective functioning of RTI Act with working
Information Commission will in a way control nepotism and corruption in administration.”
Sec. 15 (5) of RTI Act says that “The State CIC and ICs 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.” Again, as per sub Sec. (3) of sec. 15 of RTI Act, the CIC and ICs shall be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Chief Minister who shall be the chairperson of the committee, the leader of opposition and a Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Chief Minister.
