Transparency in public prosecutor recruitment builds trust says CIC asks ED to reconsider RTI plea.

The Week: PTI: New Delhi: Friday, April 17, 2026.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has observed that public recruitment and engagement to public posts must enjoy the confidence and trust of the public, while advising the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to re-examine an RTI application seeking details on prosecutorial posts. 

The commission has also said "transparency in such matters strengthens institutional credibility".

The case pertained to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by a lawyer who had sought to know the "rules prescribing eligibility criteria for Asst Public Prosecutor, Addl Public Prosecutor and Public Prosecutor of Enforcement Directorate" and "the no. of Vacancies of Asst PPs, Addl PPs and Public Prosecutor (category wise General, OBC, SC and ST)" in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The ED had denied the information citing exemption under section 24 of the RTI Act that excludes certain intelligence and security organisations from disclosure obligations, a stand upheld by the First Appellate Authority.

Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari observed that "public recruitment and engagement to public posts must always enjoy the confidence and trust of the general public.

He further said that it would be appropriate for the public authority "to relook the RTI application in the light of the nature of information sought, particularly with respect to general eligibility criteria and vacancy-related details which may already be available in the public domain, and take an appropriate decision as per its administrative wisdom".

During the hearing, the ED submitted that there are no regular vacancies for the posts of assistant public prosecutor, additional public prosecutor or public prosecutor, and that appointments are generally made for special public prosecutors or consultants in accordance with the requirement.

It added that such engagements are carried out through public advertisements available in the public domain.

The CIC observed that while the exemption claimed by the ED is valid, the nature of the information sought warrants a broader consideration in line with transparency principles.

With these observations, the commission disposed of the appeal, noting that no further intervention was required under the RTI Act.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)