'Awaiting Centre's decision on SC order regarding info panel'

During a meeting of all the Information Commissioners, it was decided that since the Centre is a party to the case, it would be advisable to wait for its directives about the working of the transparency panel.

After an hour-long meeting Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra said they would seek views of the Centre on the apex court order and decide future course of action as it would require appointment of judicial members and other crucial changes in the working.

It was decided in the meeting that till such instructions come from the Centre, the Information Commissioners can continue their normal work.

The Supreme Court had yesterday passed order making it mandatory for the transparency panels at the respective levels to have at least one judicial member while hearing cases.

Justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar had said," The Information Commissions at the respective levels shall henceforth work in benches of two members each. One of them being a judicial member, while the other an expert member. The judicial member should be a person possessing a degree in law, having a judicially trained mind and experience in performing judicial functions."

The bench had also said the Chief Information Commissioner at the Centre or state level shall only be a person who is or has been a Chief Justice of the High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court.