Mon Dec 01 12:36:58 UTC 2025: News Article:

Supreme Court Urges States to Address Vacancies in Information Commissions as Centre Plans Selection Meeting

New Delhi, December 1, 2025 – The Supreme Court has once again pressed state governments to report on the status of their State Information Commissions (SICs), focusing on total strength, vacant posts, and the backlog of pending appeals and complaints. This comes as the Centre informed the court that a Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led panel is scheduled to meet on December 10th to select candidates for the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners of the Central Information Commission (CIC).

The court, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, is hearing a plea regarding the chronic issue of vacant positions within both the CIC and SICs across the country. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj assured the court that the selection meeting is confirmed.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, emphasized the dire consequences of these vacancies, stating that they are contributing to a growing backlog of cases. He argued that the government’s failure to fill these posts effectively undermines the Right to Information Act.

The Supreme Court has issued several prior directives urging the Centre and states to expedite the filling of these positions. While some states, such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Karnataka, have made progress in filling vacancies, many others continue to lag behind.

The Court has previously expressed concerns about the limited pool of candidates considered for these positions, noting a tendency to favor bureaucrats over individuals from diverse backgrounds. The ongoing legal battle underscores the importance of a fully functioning and accessible Right to Information Act for transparency and accountability in governance. The Supreme Court will resume hearing the plea after receiving reports from the state chief secretaries.

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