Study finds worrying inadequacies in functioning of SIC

According to ‘Citizens Report on TN State Information Commission’, a study by city-based people’s movement Arappor Iyakkam that was released on Friday, the number of second appeals pending at the end of the year has increased from 1,135 in 2016 to 5,220 in 2017. The monthly disposal of second appeals per Information Commissioner fell from 165 in 2014 to 48 in 2018. Only 48 cases are being heard per commissioner a month, much lower than the expectated 267 cases per commissioner a month.

The biggest worry is the absence of a status tracker. Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor, Arappor Iyakkam, said that the success or failure of the Right to Information Act is important in any State as the Commission is the final appellate authority before one could move the court.

Another highlight of the study was that almost all departments in TN have failed to comply with mandatory disclosure under Section 4 of the act, but the Commission has not taken any action so far.

Jayaraman said that the results revealed the urgent need to make the Commission more transparent, accountable and effective. “Central Information Commission has a shorter waiting time for appeals. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have all departments complying with Section 4,” he added.