-PTI New Delhi: Information commissioner Sridhar Acharyalu has questioned the way chief information commissioner R.K. Mathur dissolved and reconstituted a bench that was hearing complaints against some political parties. Acharyalu said the move raised "serious questions" about the "independence of individual information commissioner(s), who can be part of a bench for some time and not for some other, against his will, without his consent and without a reason or without giving a...

-The Indian Express Several commissions were either not functioning or functioning at reduced capacity as posts of Commissioners, including those of Chief Information Commissioners, were vacant during the period under review. A recent study to assess the performance of Information Commissions (ICs) by non-government organisations Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) and Centre for Equity Studies (CES) has found several shortcomings in their functioning, which impact the effectiveness of the Right to Information...

-TheWire.in The number of vacancies in the Central Information Commission is set to reach the all-time high of four. New Delhi: The number of vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC) is set to rise to the highest ever – four – on January 15, with information commissioner Manjula Prasher retiring that day. Chief information commissioner R.K. Mathur has directed the Prime Minister’s Office to reveal information on the reasons behind the...

-The Hindu Communication to be sent to applicants for query details before their appeal is accepted Hyderabad (Telangana): In an initiative that is likely to cheer up the Right to Information (RTI) applicants and activists, the Telangana State Information Commission is evolving plans to send communication to individuals, asking them to complete the deficiencies in their applications being forwarded to the commission. This will be applicable to all RTI queries submitted at the...

-TheWire.in RTI activist Commodore (Retd.) Lokesh K. Batra says he was provided details on the appointment of information commissioners during the Manmohan Singh era, but under the Modi government, there has been a marked change. New Delhi: Over the last 12 years, deliberate attempts have been made to dilute and lessen the effectiveness of the Right to Information Act, according to RTI activist Commodore (Retd.) Lokesh K. Batra. On the basis of the...