The Central Information Commission (CIC) has been constituted with effect from 12-10-2005 under the Right to Information Act, 2005. It has been set up in the Ministry of Personnel, Pension and Public Grievances, Delhi. The major functions of Central Information Commission (CIC) include oversight and conformity of provisions of Right to Information Act.
Members of CIC
The Central Information Commission consists of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and such number of Central Information Commissioners not exceeding 10 as may be deemed necessary. The Chief Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years.The office of this Commission is located at CIC Bhawan, Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka, New Delhi -110067. On 26 October 2005, Mr. Wajahat Habibullah became India’s first Chief Information Commissioner. Shri Sudhir Bhargava is the current Chief Information Commissioner of India.
Functions of Central Information Commission (CIC)
- The CIC is empowered to receive and inquire into complaints from any person relating to access to information under the control of public authorities and to decide appeals against the decisions of designated appellate officers
- The Commission shall impose penalties on erring Central Public Information Officers and recommend disciplinary action against those who have, without any reasonable cause, denied access to information under the provisions of the Act or deprived a citizen of his/her right to access information with public authorities in a malafide manner. The quantum of penalty liable to be imposed is Rs. 250 each day till the application is received or information is furnished subject to the total amount not exceeding Rs. 25,000
- The Commission has powers to require the public authority to compensate the complainant for any loss or other damage suffered. The decision of the Commission on an appeal is binding and is not subject to further appeal in a court of law
- The Commission may make recommendations to public authorities not conforming to the provisions or the spirit of the Act, specifying the steps which, in its opinion, they ought to take for promoting such conformity
- The Commission may, during the inquiry into any complaint, examine any record under the control of the public authority, and no such record may be withheld from it on any grounds
- The Commission shall recommend to the Government every year, reforms on any “matter relevant for operationalising the right to access information”
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