Notwithstanding the burgeoning number of RTI cases pending resolution by the highest appellate authority, the Telangana government is yet to constitute an information commission.
After the last State Information Commissioner completed the official tenure in May, the State’s information commission has been non-existent. Employees in the commission’s office say there has been no progress related to appointments of the commissioners.
“Sans any hearings, we are only receiving appeals. There has been no word of the constitution of the commission. Appeals will only keep mounting till the commission is constituted,” an official said.
RTI activists D. Rakesh Reddy said the number of pending cases could be anywhere between 15,000 and 20,000. “The reasons for the delay are not known. What is needed is transparency in developments related to the appointments,” he added.
The appointment of the information commissioners is done by a committee that vets nominees and forwards applications to the Governor. There have been no notifications calling for nominations, which has unsettled the citizens’ rights group.
“It has been three years since the united Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, but both Telangana and A.P. functioned with just one commission. Even after a decision to constitute their individual commissions, there has been a delay in appointing the commissioners,” said Uppala Gopal Rao of Praja Aloachana Vedika, during a round table conference organised here on Tuesday.
Those at the meeting called for speedy constitution of the commission.
The Central Information Commissioner, Madhabhushi Sridhar, who delivered the chief guest address, expressed faith that both Telangana and A.P. governments would constitute the commissions. He stressed on the need to protect the Act.