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Govt issues call for CIC applications ahead of Heeralal Samariya’s exit
Samariya, a former IAS officer born on September 14, 1960, assumed office as CIC on November 6, 2023, after being sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu.
The appointment will be closely watched as the Commission faces calls for restoring its full capacity to effectively uphold the citizens’ right to access information.
The Centre has begun the process of appointing a new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), inviting applications from eligible candidates to head the Central Information Commission, the apex body responsible for enforcing the Right to Information (RTI) Act. As per a PTI report, the move comes ahead of the retirement of the current CIC, Heeralal Samariya, later this year.
Samariya, a former IAS officer born on September 14, 1960, assumed office as CIC on November 6, 2023, after being sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu. As per the RTI Act, the chief information commissioner holds office for a term prescribed by the government and is not eligible for reappointment. Additionally, no person above the age of 65 is eligible for the role.
Currently, the CIC is functioning with only three members, Samariya and two Information Commissioners, well below its sanctioned strength of 11 (one CIC and 10 ICs). The vacancy for the top post adds urgency to the Centre’s efforts to reinvigorate the transparency watchdog, which plays a pivotal role in adjudicating appeals and complaints under the RTI framework.
In a notification, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) stated that the government is seeking a candidate of "eminence in public life" with considerable expertise in fields such as law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media, administration, or governance.
Eligible and interested individuals have been asked to apply in the prescribed format by June 20, 2025. The appointment will be closely watched as the Commission faces calls for restoring its full capacity to effectively uphold the citizens’ right to access information.
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