The Himachal Pradesh government has constituted a three-member selection committee to recommend appointments for the vacant posts of State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and State Information Commissioner. The committee is headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Who is on the Himachal CIC selection committee
According to a notification issued by Chief Secretary Kamlesh Pant, the committee includes two other members besides the Chief Minister. Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, along with Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, will serve on the panel.
The committee's job is to recommend suitable candidates for both the top information commission posts in the state.
Why the Himachal Information Commission appointments matter now
The post of CIC has been vacant for over a year, and the State Information Commissioner's post has also remained unfilled. This has left the State Information Commission virtually defunct, meaning citizens have been without a functioning body to address their Right to Information (RTI) appeals.
RD Dhiman, a 1998-batch IAS officer, was the last person appointed as CIC in January 2023. He took the role after retiring as Chief Secretary. The long vacancy has raised concerns about the accessibility of information for the public.
What this means for transparency in Himachal Pradesh
The formation of this selection committee signals a move to restore the state's information commission. With the panel now in place, the process of filling these key positions can finally move forward.
An active Information Commission is essential for upholding the Right to Information Act. It allows citizens to appeal when government departments deny them information or fail to respond to their requests. A defunct commission leaves people with no independent body to turn to.
Our Take: A necessary step, but speed is key
In our view, this is a welcome and necessary step by the Himachal Pradesh government. The information commission has been non-functional for too long, and that directly hurts ordinary citizens who rely on RTI to hold authorities accountable.
However, forming the committee is only the first move. The real test will be how quickly the panel acts and whether the appointments are made without further delay. The state cannot afford to let these posts remain vacant any longer. A functioning information commission is not a luxury — it is a basic requirement for transparent governance.
Citizens should watch this process closely. The people appointed to these roles will decide how freely information flows in Himachal Pradesh for years to come.