HYDERABAD: The state government has sought six more weeks to reconstitute a committee responsible for appointing the chief information commissioner and six information commissioners to the Telangana State Information Commission (TSIC) as mandated by the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The government made the request as a division bench of the Telangana High Court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Forum for Good Governance (FGG), an NGO represented by its Secretary M Padmanabha Reddy.
Counsel representing the state government apprised the bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aaradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, about the recent change in government following the Assembly elections.
“Due to this transition, the state is yet to reform the committee, which typically includes the leader of the opposition, leaders of the state government, and other officials. This committee is responsible for evaluating applicants and making appointments to the State Information Commission,” counsel added.
During the previous hearing on August 23, 2023, the erstwhile state government had informed the court that it had received 40 applications for the position of chief information commissioner and 273 applications for the position of state information commissioners.
In response to the state’s plea for additional time, the bench granted a six-week extension. The FGG filed the PIL seeking court direction to the state government to expedite the appointment process for the chief information commissioner and information commissioners in accordance with the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005.