New Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) appointed 

New Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) appointed 

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Statutory bodies

In news

• Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha was appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) recently. 

Important value additions 

Central Information Commission

• The RTI Act 2005 provides for the constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions in each state.
• The CIC was constituted in 2005 under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
• The jurisdiction of the Commission extends over all Central Public Authorities.

• The Central Information Commission shall consist of:
  • The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)
  • Such numbers of Central Information Commissioners (ICs), not exceeding ten, as may be deemed necessary
• Eligibility: (1) The members shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and Governance. 
• The CIC or IC shall not be an MP or MLA or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.
• Appointment: The members of the commission are appointed by a committee consisting of the PM (as Chair), Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister appointed by the PM.
• Resignation: The CIC or an IC may, at any time, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign from his office.
• Removal: The CIC or an IC may be removed from office only by order of the President on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after the Supreme Court, on a reference made to it by the President, reports that he/she should be removed on the grounds mentioned.
• The President may also remove them from office if such a person is adjudged insolvent, convicted for certain offences etc.