SC asks Centre, states to submit details of vacancies in information commissions

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the states to file details of the vacancies in their respective information commissions and the steps being taken to fill them.

The Centre informed the court that it was moving amendments to the Right to Information Act relating the term of office, salaries and allowances of the commissioners, including that of the Chief Information Commissioner.

The top court was hearing a PIL by an RTI activist, Anjali Bhardwaj, who has alleged that the Centre was trying to make RTI ineffective.

At present, there are only three information commissioners as against the strength of 11 commissioners. This has resulted in the pendency of 26,000 cases and the consequent delays.

The court directed the next hearing on December 13.