Fill up info commission posts: SC

Supreme Court on Friday suggested the Karnataka government increase the number of information commissioners to 10 in the state.

The apex court directed the Karnataka selection panel to fill up all vacant posts within two months as nothing has happened since September 22, 2018, the last date of receiving the applications for the post of chief information commissioner and two information commissioners.

In view of the “alarming pendency of the complaints and appeals” before the Karnataka State Information Commission, a bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer said it will be appropriate to consider increasing the strength of information commissioners.

The top court noted that the Karnataka State Information Commission was functioning with five commissioners - one chief and four other information commissioners. 33,000 appeals and complaints were pending before the commission as on October 31, 2017.

The state government, in an affidavit, stated that the notification for filling up the posts of chief information commissioner and two information commissioners was issued on August 7, 2018. According to the govt, 419 applications have been received. The meeting of the selection committee is yet to be convened.

“This affidavit was filed on December 8, 2018. The last date for receiving the applications was September 22, 2018. It appears that after receipt of the applications, for three months nothing happened. In these circumstances, we impress upon the selection committee to undertake the selection process so that the posts are filled within two months from today," the bench said.