Modi–Shah–Rahul Gandhi Hold Crucial Closed-Door Meeting to Finalise New Chief Information Commissioner Amid Massive RTI Backlog

Delhi: In a significant political development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi met in New Delhi on Wednesday in a confidential discussion aimed at finalising major appointments to the Central Information Commission (CIC). The meeting, held under strict secrecy, was convened to shortlist candidates for the post of Chief Information Commissioner as well as eight new Information Commissioners.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the conversation remained behind closed doors, with no details released to the public. The committee is constituted under Section 12(3) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and includes the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union minister nominated by the PM. This panel is responsible for making some of the most critical transparency-related appointments in the country.

The Central Information Commission has been functioning with only two commissioners—Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari—after former Chief Information Commissioner Heeralal Samariya completed his term on September 13. Samariya, who assumed office in November 2023, retired upon turning 65.

The shortage of commissioners has had a visible impact on the RTI system, with more than 30,000 appeals and complaints currently pending, according to recent figures. Transparency advocates have repeatedly warned that prolonged vacancies weaken the spirit of the RTI Act and delay the dissemination of crucial public information.

The search for new leadership at the CIC has generated considerable interest. A total of 83 applications were received for the position of Chief Information Commissioner, as per a response provided by the Department of Personnel and Training to an RTI query. The government had issued the vacancy notification on May 21. Additionally, 161 candidates have applied for the eight posts of Information Commissioners.