DNA: SNew Delhi: Tuesday, June 12, 2018.
The Centre is
considering downgrading the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)’s status to
that of a union cabinet secretary in a bid to rejig the Central Information
Commission’s terms of conditions of service, Hindustan Times reported on
Monday.
The report
added that information commissioners deputed to both the Centre and the state
will also be reduced to status of secretaries. However, the powers and
responsibilities of the commissioners would remain unchanged.
The CICs and
ICs are currently on par with the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election
Commissioners. Their status in the government is on par with Supreme Court
judges.
The Central
Information Commission, set up under the Right to Information Act, was
established in 2005 as an authorised body. They had strongly stated that
political parties should come under the ambit of the RTI. The statement was
contradicted by the Election Commission of India, but later the EC stood by the
CIC's original statement.
Recently, the
CIC has directed the Prime Minister's Office and the External Affairs Ministry
to disclose the efforts made to bring back priceless Indian antiquities like
Koh-i-noor diamond, golden throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, jade wine cup of
Shahjahan and sword of Tipu Sultan.