Tamil Nadu Information Commission
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Tamil Nadu Information Commission is a statutory body in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It was created in pursuance of the sub-section (1) of section 15 of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Tamil Nadu was the first state to introduce the act.[1]
Initially, it consisted of State Chief Information Commissioner and two State Information Commissioners per the G.O.(Ms). No.988, Public(Estt I & Legislation) Department order dated 7 October 2005.[2][3] Subsequently, the Government of Tamil Nadu issued the G.O.Ms.No.72, Personnel and Administrative Reforms (AR3) Department order dated 10 April 2008 which increased the strength of State Information Commissioners from two to six, thus reaching its current state of one Chief Information Commissioner and six State Information Commissioners.
In 2018, the Commission was criticised for dealing with less appeals with seven commissioners on its staff than it had done in 2015 when it had only five.[4]
It is independent of the Central Information Commission, which deals only with appeals over petitions under the Right to Information Act relating to Central government.[5]
Tamil Nadu State Information Commission has to be constituted as per The Right to Information Act, 2005 by the State Governments in India through a notification in official Gazette.[6]
Tamil Nadu State Information Commission is formed to take up the following:[7]
- Appeals on the information shared by various government entities under the Right To Information Act.
- Complaints on refusal to give information or in relation to inability to file Right To Information Act.
- Commission should get annual report from various departments working in the state about complaints received under Right to Information Act, 2005 and their responses on the same.
Tamil Nadu Information Commission occasionally conducts awareness programmes on implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act' 2005 effectively by general public.
Composition
Tamil Nadu State Information Commission members should consist of a:[8]
1. State Chief Information commissioner and
2. Not more than ten State Information Commissioners.
The Chief and other members of State Information Commission are appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the committee consisting of the Chief Minister as chairperson, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and a state Cabinet Minister.
The members of State Information Commission should be of eminence in public life[9] and are not permitted to hold any other office of profit or any position which is connected with any political party and are also barred from carrying on any business or continuing any profession in any field.