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Failure to fill vacancies in Information Commissions
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Context
The prolonged vacancies in the Central and State Information Commissions (CIC & SICs) despite Supreme Court interventions have raised concerns about the government's lack of commitment to the effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. This situation reflects attempts to undermine transparency and limit citizens' access to information.
Failure to Fill Vacancies
- Unfilled Vacancies in CIC and SIC: The Central Information Commission has eight vacancies, and State Information Commissions are facing similar issues, leading to thousands of unresolved queries and making the law ineffective.
- Impact on RTI Act Implementation: The delay in filling these positions hampers the functioning of the commissions, preventing citizens from filing appeals and seeking timely information.
- Supreme Court Intervention: The Supreme Court has intervened, setting timelines for filling vacancies and pushing for the constitution of search committees to expedite the process, but the government has been vague on details.
Government Reluctance to Strengthen Transparency
- Amendments to the RTI Act: The RTI Act, meant to promote transparency, has faced resistance, with amendments aimed at reducing its effectiveness.
- Undermining the Law: By not filling vacancies or delaying appointments, governments appear to be diminishing the law’s impact, making it easier for departments to ignore citizen queries without accountability.
- Bias in Appointments: The Supreme Court highlighted the practice of appointing retired bureaucrats rather than individuals from diverse backgrounds, potentially leading to appointments aligned with government interests.
Consequences for Accountability and Governance
- Decline in Citizens’ Engagement: As information commissions remain dysfunctional, citizens may lose interest in filing RTI applications, thus reducing public scrutiny on government functioning.
- Weakening Governance: The avoidance of effective transparency mechanisms weakens the public’s ability to hold the government accountable, threatening democratic governance.
- Corruption and Misuse of Power: The failure to ensure independence and effectiveness of information commissions can lead to increased corruption and misuse of power by government officials.
Practice Question:
Q. The failure to fill vacancies in the Central and State Information Commissions reflects a larger issue of undermining the Right to Information Act. Discuss the implications of this neglect on transparency, governance, and accountability in India.
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