Appointment of Central Information Commissioner (CIC)

Central Information Commission:

• 2005: Created by the Central Government.

• Operates under the Right to Information Act (2005).
• Not a constitutional body.

Composition and Appointment:

• Central Information Commission is comprised of a Chief Information Commissioner and up to ten Information Commissioners.
• CIC is appointed by the President, based on recommendations from a committee comprising following:
  • Prime Minister,
  • Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
  • A Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.

Jurisdiction and Tenure:

• Authority extends over all Central Public Authorities.
• Term set by the Central Government or until age 65, whichever comes first.
• No reappointment after tenure completion.

Powers and Functions:

• Handles complaints about information requests under the RTI Act.
• Can initiate inquiries suo-moto if deemed necessary.
• Has powers similar to a civil court for summoning and requisitioning documents during inquiries.

Why in News:

• Recently, Heeralal Samariya has been appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner by the President.