2019 SC: Information commission vacancies should be filed without any delay
recently, CJI commented there is deliberate tendency on part of govt to not fill in vacancies has effectively ended implementation of RTI
2023 SC: ruled that Central and State govt must fill in all vacancies within a stipulated period
2nd ARC: has recommended that to ensure credibility of Information Commission, atleast 50% of members should be from non civil services background and around 50% from NGO, Civil society etc working in field of RTI
Information commissions should be given sufficient powers to get orders implemented by ministries and depts
Info Commission should be given powers of Contempt of Court
Govt Response
Position of RTI in 2005
Info Commission, even tho Statutory Body, is given status of constitution body like Election Commission
CIC was given rank of Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners were given rank of Election Commissioners
Salaries were same as that of Election Commission members
Also given security of tenure
Changes by Govt in RTI
constitutional status is delinked as Info Commission in statutory body
govt has downgraded rank of info commissioners and reduced info commission members to rank from Election Commissioners to Secretary
Government has removed security of tenure
decreased tenure of info commissioners
earlier 5 yrs; now 3yr
Govt delinked salaries and allowances of information commission