HC questions TS on vacant RTI commissioners' posts

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday questioned the state government as to why it had not appointed chief commissioner and commissioners for the TS Information Commission (SIC) under the Right to Information Act. Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan observed that it was mandatory under the RTI Act that commissioners shall be appointed.

The division bench, headed by the Chief Justice, was dealing with a PIL filed by Forum For Good Governance challenging the non-filling up of RTI Commissioners posts in the state.

Sarasani Satyam Reddy, senior counsel representing the petitioner, said the SIC was without a chief commissioner and commissioners since February. In the meantime, appeals under RTI are piling up before the commission, he said.

The court directed the government to file its response by June and it also said if the government intends to fill the posts during this time, pending of PIL will not be any barrier.