MP: State Info Commission Becomes Defunct, All Posts Vacant

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission will become defunct on March 30 as the tenure of Chief Information Commissioner AK Shukla and lone State Information Commissioner Rahul Singh ended on Friday (March 29).

As there will be no appointment till Lok Sabha election gets over, there will be no hearing of applications for at least two months.

At present, 12,000 applications are pending with the Commission for hearing. In absence of fresh appointments, the applications are likely to pile up.

Out of 10 posts of State Information Commissioners, nine were lying vacant. After Rahul Singh’s tenure ends, all the 10 posts of State Information Commissioners will become vacant.

This is despite Supreme Court’s directive that posts of State Information Commissioners should not lie vacant.

The sources at Commission told Free Press that government was aware that the term of lone State Information Commissioner Rahul Singh was about to end. But it did not take steps in advance to fill the post.

Applications galore

Meanwhile, people interested in posts of State Information Commissioners have applied in large numbers. About 1,800 people from different fields have applied for the post.

Set up

Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission is led by Chief Information Commissioner. Besides, there are 10 posts of State Information Commissioners. Now, all the posts have become vacant.