Over 30% post of Information Commissioners vacant: Survey

Over 30 per cent posts of Information Commissioners are lying vacant in 17 states while Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland do not have Chief Information Commissioners, finds a survey by a not-for-profit body.

Transparency International India (TII), which conducted the three-month long survey, on Thursday said that 48 posts (30.8 per cent) of the total 156 posts of Information Commissioners, including Chief Information Commissioners, were not filled.

It also pointed out that 18,47,314 second appeals and complaints were processed, besides 11,356 cases of penalty dealt with, during 2005-2016.

"Out of 29 states, only 12 states have filled all posts of Chief Information Commissioners and Information Commissioners and there is no vacancy," the TII said in a release.

"Only 10 of the 29 states have updated their annual reports for 2016-2017. Chhattisgarh is the only state which has updated all annual reports from 2005-2017 on its website."

Only 11 of the 29 states of India have provided access to online facilities for filing of appeals/complaints, it added.

It said that the Centre for Law and Democracy (Canada) and Access Info Europe (Spain) published the ranking for 123 countries on the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) last month wherein Indian stood sixth -- slipping down two places.

--IANS

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