Maharashtra: Staff shortage hits State Information Commission

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While the State Information Commission is headed by the Chief State Information Commissioner, who is posted in Mumbai, Maharashtra has seven other SIC benches. Each bench is headed by an information commissioner, who deals with appeals and complaints filed by RTI users in the state.

The information commissioner, who holds a quasi-judicial post, has the power to give directions to government officials, as well as impose fines on them. They have powers similar to that of a high court judge.

A SIC bench is often the last resort for many who are fighting the system to get information to further their pursuit of justice.

Of the 136 sanctioned posts in all the commission benches, 48 are vacant. As many as 16 of the 32 sanctioned posts of stenographers and clerks are lying vacant.

The bench of the Chief State Information Commissioner has reported the highest number of vacancies, with 10 of the 17 sanctioned posts lying vacant. Some benches have started appointing contractual staff as a stopgap arrangement.

With only three posts vacant, the Pune bench has a better staff strength.

The annual report, which highlights the vacancies in the SIC benches, said that repeated requests to the government to fill up the posts have been in vain.

“Being a quasi-judicial body, the benches require stenographers and typists in large numbers to help in issuing timely orders. However, the government has turned a deaf ear to the commission’s request for more staff,” stated the report.

“The power to fill up the posts lies with the bureaucracy, but they do not want to do so as that will expose their shortcomings,” alleged RTI user Qaneez Sukhrani.