The Delhi High Court has asked the senior most Information Commissioner of Central Information Commission (CIC) to hear a case in the absence of its chief, saying any backlog will jeopardise the interest of RTI applicants.
A Bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher has come to the rescue of RTI applicant Sushila Kumari, who is waiting to be heard at the CIC since August 22, 2014 as the Chief Information Commissioner’s post is vacant. The court said the senior most Information Commissioner be deputed to dispose of the petitioner’s case.
“...I am of the view that the present arrangement (absence of the Chief) would lead to a backlog in the disposal of the matters filed before the CIC. This will jeopardise the interest of those querists who seek information pertaining to defence matters. Therefore, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction that the petitioner’s (Sushila) pending appeal would be taken up for adjudication by the senior most Information Commissioner(IC). The IC will attempt to dispose of the appeal as, expeditiously as possible, though, not later than ten weeks...," the court said.