RTI: None of the 7 Commissioners met average disposal target

NEW DELHI: Even as the Central Information Commission stares at an unprecedented pendency of cases with applicants waiting in queue for up to four years to be heard, the report card of Information Commissioners has quite a few red marks. None of the seven information commissioners has met the average disposal target over the last one year.

Data compiled by ET reveals that in the current financial year, two of the seven information commissioners – MA Khan Yusufi and Basant Seth – did not meet the monthly average disposal target even once. In 2011, the Commission had set a target of disposing on an average 267 cases in a month. Information Commissioners Vijai Sharma, Sharat Sabharwal and Manjula Prasher have met this target only once between April 2014 and March 2015. MS Acharyulu finishes at the top of the chart having met the target five times and Yashovardhan Azad finishes a close second with meeting the target four times.

RTI activists feel that the Commissioners would need to work harder. RTI activist Lokesh Batra, who has been studying CIC’s workload and performance of commissioners, says, “Each one of ICs needs to feel responsible and accountable for his/her performance to the people and if required go beyond the laid down working routine of 9.30 am to 6 pm to complete targets.”

The Commission has always worked five days in a week. However, Batra says just like in courts, at least the registry must function six days and the commissioners should use this sixth day to study cases and draft their decisions. RTI activist Subhash Agrawal says, “Disposing of 267 cases in a month is their own target. It is absolutely wrong to not meet the target they had set for themselves. Another problem that an applicant is facing right now is the delay in giving decisions. Even after an applicant is heard, he is made to wait for months for a decision. ”