Governance

A Division Bench of the Kerala judicature on Thursday discharged a legal instrument petition difficult the advice to appoint former cabinet minister Vishwas Mehta as State Chief info Commissioner (CIC).

·       It is associate degree freelance, statutory committee fashioned underneath the RTI Act to confirm freedom of knowledge to voters. its jurisdiction over authorities bodies,PSU and authorities.

Composition:

·       It has chief info commissioner and up to ten info commissioners. All area unit appointed by the governor on recommendation of chief minister, cupboard minister appointive  by him and leader of opposition in law-makers.

Qualification:

·       Qualification for membership to commission area unit persons ought to person of eminence publically life with expertise in field of law, science and technology, governance, work, management, journalism, mass media or administration.

·       They mustnt be MP / MLA’s or connected to any party, performing some business/ profession or holding workplace of profit.

Term:

·       They hold workplace until age of sixty five or five years. {the info|the knowledge|the data} commissioner is eligible for post of state chief information commissioner however will be in workplace for optimum 5years together with his tenure of knowledge commissioner.

·       However, once RTI change 2019 , the tenure of central and state info commissioners has currently been reduced from 5 to 3  years.

Removal:

·       Removal is finished by governor on grounds of bankruptcy, unsound mind, frailness of body or mind, sentenced to imprisonment for a criminal offense, or engages in paid employment.

·       He can even be removed for verified misbehaviour or incapacity if SC inquiry finds him guilty. theyll resign by writing to governor.

Powers and functions:

·       Acts as second appellant authority for RTI applications.

·       Inquires into complaints underneath RTI Act

·       Have powers of a civil court. No public record will be withheld from it throughout inquiry of complaints.

·       Can secure compliance of its orders from a public authority Submits annual reports to the state govt that area unit tabled before the house.

Commission will advocate steps to be taken by associate degree authority to become criticism underneath RTI.