By Subhash Chandra Agrawal

It refers to deferment of selection of Chief Information Commissioner and other three Information Commissioners at Central Information Commission (CIC) again when Appointment-Committee headed by Prime Minister could not make selection in a hurriedly called meeting on 23.05.2015 because Opposition Leader wanted extra time to go through the names put before the Committee. Despite selection-process for nine-month old vacancy being in progress for so many months, Opposition Leader was not timely briefed about shortlisted names made by search-panel headed by Union Cabinet Secretary.

It seems that meeting was called in a hurry because of a reserved verdict by Delhi High Court subsequent to hearing held on 21.05.2015 on the Public-Interest-Litigation (PIL) filed on the matter. Earlier the Court had observed that it had become a trend to make such important appointments only after intervention of the courts. Vacancy at these posts is resulting in ‘Information Delayed is Information Denied’. Another High Court verdict should set a trend whereby senior-most Commissioner at CIC may handle petitions relating to Chief Information Commissioner in case of vacancy at that post.

Best is to adopt a system whereby Commissioners at CIC may become Chief Information Commissioner according to seniority for one year. In case any senior-most Commissioner cannot complete one year as Chief Information Commissioner due to retirement-age, then next senior-most Commissioner may be given chance to become Chief Information Commissioner. Short-term Chief Information Commissioners are liability on the system when they devote much of their tenure as Chief Information Commissioner in availing Leave-Travel-Concession (LTC), utilising remaining leaves or attending conferences leaving only very few days for sitting at chair of Chief Information Commissioner.