Laxmikanth Test: Central Information Commission - UPSC MCQ

At present, the Commission has six Information Commissioners apart from the Chief Information Commissioner . They are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.

• The salary, allowances and other service conditions of the
• Chief Information Commissioner and an Information
• Commissioner shall be such as prescribed by the Central
• Government. But, they cannot be varied to his disadvantage
• during service. As is the case in Chief Election Commissioner.

The President can also remove the Chief Information Commissioner or any Information Commissioner on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapac-ity4 . However, in these cases, the President has to refer the matter to the Supreme Court for an enquiry. If the Supreme Court, after the enquiry, upholds the cause of removal and advises so, then the President can remove him.

The Commission consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners. The Commission, when constituted initially, had five commissioners including the Chief Information Commissioner. At present the Commission has six Information Commissioners apart from the Chief Information Commissioner.

The Central Information Commission was established by the Central Government in 2005. It was constituted through an Official Gazette Notification under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005). Hence, it is not a constitutional body. 

The Chief Information Commissioner and an Information Commissioner shall hold office for such term as prescribed by the Central Government or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They are not eligible for reappointment.

The Central Information Commission was established by the Central Government in 2005. It was constituted through an Official Gazette Notification under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005).

The Commission submits an annual report to the Central Government on the implementation of the provisions of this Act. The Central Government places this report before each House of Parliament.

The Central Information Commission falls under Ministry of Personnel. It entertains complaints and appeals pertaining to offices, financial institutions, Public Sector Undertakings of the Union government and govts of the Union territories.

The Commission can order inquiry into any matter if there are reasonable grounds (suo-moto power).
The Commission has the power to secure compliance of its decisions from the public authority.

This includes:
(a) providing access to information in a particular form;
(b) directing the public authority to appoint a Public Information Officer where none exists;
(c) publishing information or categories of information;
(d) making necessary changes to the practices relating to management, maintenance and destruction of records;
(e) enhancing training provision for officials on the right to information;
(f ) seeking an annual report from the public authority on compliance with this Act.