Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 73
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Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 74
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 88
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

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    <link rel="canonical" href="https://im4change.in/<pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr67f117427fed9-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr67f117427fed9-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Notice</b> (8)</a>: Undefined variable: urlPrefix [<b>APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp</b>, line <b>8</b>]<div id="cakeErr67f117427fed9-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr67f117427fed9-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr67f117427fed9-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr67f117427fed9-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr67f117427fed9-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr67f117427fed9-code" class="cake-code-dump" style="display: none;"><code><span style="color: #000000"><span style="color: #0000BB"></span><span style="color: #007700">&lt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">head</span><span style="color: #007700">&gt;
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-The Telegraph
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&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.
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Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
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The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
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All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
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This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
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&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.
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The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
&lt;/p&gt;
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The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
&lt;/p&gt;
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&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-The Telegraph&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#039;,
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-The Telegraph
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&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.
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Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
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The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
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All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
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&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.
&lt;/p&gt;
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The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...&#039;
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and..."/>
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                <strong>Modi office sits on RTI chief selection -Ananya Sengupta</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-The Telegraph</div><p align="justify"><em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.</p><p align="justify">Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).</p><p align="justify">The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.</p><p align="justify">All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.</p><p align="justify">This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.</p><p align="justify">The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.</p><p align="justify">The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.</p><p align="justify">The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.</p><p align="justify">&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.</p><p align="justify">The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.</p><p align="justify">The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.</p><p align="justify">Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.</p>               </font>
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-The Telegraph
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&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.
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Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
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The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
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All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
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This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
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The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
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&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.
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The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
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The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
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&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.
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The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
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The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
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Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
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&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-The Telegraph&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#039;,
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-The Telegraph
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.
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Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
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The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
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All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
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This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
&lt;/p&gt;
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The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.
&lt;/p&gt;
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The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
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&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.
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Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-The Telegraph&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#039;
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and..."/>
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                <strong>Modi office sits on RTI chief selection -Ananya Sengupta</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-The Telegraph</div><p align="justify"><em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.</p><p align="justify">Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).</p><p align="justify">The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.</p><p align="justify">All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.</p><p align="justify">This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.</p><p align="justify">The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.</p><p align="justify">The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.</p><p align="justify">The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.</p><p align="justify">&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.</p><p align="justify">The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.</p><p align="justify">The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.</p><p align="justify">Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.</p>               </font>
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-The Telegraph
&lt;/div&gt;
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&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.
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Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
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The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
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All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
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This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
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The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
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&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.
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The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
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The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
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&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.
&lt;/p&gt;
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The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
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The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
&lt;/p&gt;
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Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
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&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-The Telegraph&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#039;,
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-The Telegraph
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-The Telegraph&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;New Delhi:&lt;/em&gt; The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &amp;quot;death knell&amp;quot; for transparency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&amp;quot; Batra asked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur&#039;s exit, but was stuck in the PMO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&amp;quot; Batra said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&amp;quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#039;
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and..."/>
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                <strong>Modi office sits on RTI chief selection -Ananya Sengupta</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-The Telegraph</div><p align="justify"><em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.</p><p align="justify">Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).</p><p align="justify">The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.</p><p align="justify">All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.</p><p align="justify">This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.</p><p align="justify">The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.</p><p align="justify">The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.</p><p align="justify">The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.</p><p align="justify">&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.</p><p align="justify">The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.</p><p align="justify">The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.</p><p align="justify">Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.</p>               </font>
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-The Telegraph
</div>
<p align="justify">
<em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.
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Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
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The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
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All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
</p>
<p align="justify">
This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
</p>
<p align="justify">
&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
</p>
<p align="justify">
&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
</p>
<p align="justify">
Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
</p>
<p align="justify">
&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.


Over 200 people - other commission members and...',
	'disp' => '<div align="justify">-The Telegraph</div><p align="justify"><em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.</p><p align="justify">Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).</p><p align="justify">The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.</p><p align="justify">All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.</p><p align="justify">This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.</p><p align="justify">The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.</p><p align="justify">The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.</p><p align="justify">The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.</p><p align="justify">&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.</p><p align="justify">The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.</p><p align="justify">The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.</p><p align="justify">Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.</p>',
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	'title' => 'Modi office sits on RTI chief selection -Ananya Sengupta',
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-The Telegraph
</div>
<p align="justify">
<em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.
</p>
<p align="justify">
Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
</p>
<p align="justify">
The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.
</p>
<p align="justify">
All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.
</p>
<p align="justify">
This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.
</p>
<p align="justify">
&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.
</p>
<p align="justify">
&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.
</p>
<p align="justify">
The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.
</p>
<p align="justify">
Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.
</p>
<p align="justify">
&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
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-The Telegraph


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Over 200 people - other commission members and...'
$disp = '<div align="justify">-The Telegraph</div><p align="justify"><em>New Delhi:</em> The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the &quot;death knell&quot; for transparency.</p><p align="justify">Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI).</p><p align="justify">The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long.</p><p align="justify">All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head.</p><p align="justify">This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau.</p><p align="justify">The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?&quot; Batra asked.</p><p align="justify">The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant.</p><p align="justify">The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO.</p><p align="justify">&quot;With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO,&quot; Batra said.</p><p align="justify">The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee.</p><p align="justify">The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August.</p><p align="justify">Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation.</p><p align="justify">&quot;The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further,&quot; said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.</p>'
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Modi office sits on RTI chief selection -Ananya Sengupta

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been headless for the past five months, spawning an unprecedented backlog of applications and fears the delay could sound the "death knell" for transparency. Over 200 people - other commission members and retired bureaucrats - are vying to become the chief information commissioner, according to activist Lokesh Batra who had filed a plea on the matter under the Right to Information Act (RTI). The commission was set up under the law by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005. This is the first time it has been without a chief for so long. All chief commissioners appointed so far have been retired government officials, as have the other 10 members. The senior-most among the 10 used to be picked as the head. This is the first time the Centre has invited applications for the post, lying vacant since August 22, 2014, when the term of the previous incumbent, Rajiv Mathur, ended. Mathur was a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau. The CIC chief is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including the leader of the Opposition and a cabinet minister who is nominated by the Prime Minister. "The Centre is procrastinating only on posts that will trouble the government like the CIC and the Central Vigilance Commission. How did they decide on the CBI director and the IB chief without any delay?" Batra asked. The posts of three information commissioners are also vacant. The activist claimed the CIC appointment process started in June, two months before Mathur's exit, but was stuck in the PMO. "With so many cases (RTI applications), this (the delay) will be a death knell for the RTI. The DoPT (department of personnel) started the procedure in June but it is stuck with the PMO," Batra said. The Narendra Modi government initially blamed the delay on the absence of a leader of the Opposition, although the RTI Act says the leader of the biggest political group - in this case, the Congress - should be included in the selection committee. The Centre later advertised for the post in October and set November 24 as the last date. In an email reply to Batra, the department of personnel said the file has been pending with the PMO since August 1, 2014. According to Batra, there are 36,251 cases pending with the CIC, with a 47 per cent increase since August. Former chief information commissioners Wajahat Habibullah and Deepak Sandhu recently wrote to the President highlighting how the lack of a CIC head was affecting RTI implementation. "The effective functioning of adjudicators under the RTI Act, i.e. the information commissions, is critical for the health of the transparency regime in the country. Already, there is a huge backlog with close to 25,000 appeals and complaints pending in the commission. Often, people have to wait for more than a year for their appeals and complaints to be heard. The lack of a chief information commissioner will cause the pendency to increase further," said the letter, also signed by activist Aruna Roy and former CIC commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.