Supreme Court pulls up Central, state govts over vacant information commissioner posts

By A Representative

The Supreme Court on Monday heard the matter concerning the non-appointment of Information Commissioners in the Central and State Information Commissions. The case was placed before a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Bagchi.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, highlighted the alarming state of vacancies and backlogs across commissions. He pointed out that the Central Information Commission is currently functioning without a Chief, and 8 out of 10 posts of commissioners remain vacant. The Chief’s post has been unfilled for over two months, resulting in a backlog of nearly 30,000 cases.

The petitioners drew attention to the deteriorating situation in several State Information Commissions. In Jharkhand, the commission has been defunct for more than five years and has stopped registering new cases. Himachal Pradesh has been defunct for over four months. Chhattisgarh is operating with a single commissioner despite 35,000 pending appeals and complaints. Maharashtra has eight commissioners in place, but three posts are vacant and the backlog is close to one lakh cases. Tamil Nadu has sanctioned only seven posts despite 41,000 pending cases, among the highest in the country. Madhya Pradesh is functioning with four commissioners while 20,000 matters remain pending.

It was emphasized that governments are undermining citizens’ Right to Information by failing to appoint commissioners in a timely and transparent manner. This has led to delays exceeding one year in disposal of appeals and complaints. The petitioners also stressed the need to adhere to the Anjali Bhardwaj judgment of 2019, which laid down principles for transparency in appointments.

Since the last hearing on October 27, 2025, Karnataka has filled all vacancies, and the State Information Commission is now functioning at full strength with 11 commissioners. The counsel for the Union of India assured the Court that the selection committee meeting will be convened at the earliest to complete pending appointments. Himachal Pradesh was directed to fill vacancies within two months, while Jharkhand was directed to complete the appointment process within one month.

The Supreme Court directed concerned states to expedite the filling of vacancies. The bench stated that the matter will be heard again in the coming days to monitor compliance.

The case was argued by Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Rahul Gupta on behalf of petitioners Anjali Bhardwaj, Commodore Lokesh Batra (Retd.), and Amrita Johri.

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

India’s foreign policy at crossroads: Cost of silence in the face of aggression

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Sandeep Pandey The widely anticipated yet unprovoked attack on Iran on March 1 by the United States and Israel has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters around the world. Reports indicate that the strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, including 165 elementary school girls, 20 female volleyball players, and many other civilians.

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Search This Blog