The Central Information Commission (CIC) is a statutory body and an independent, quasi-judicial institution established under Section 12 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. Constituted with effect from October 12, 2005, its creation solved the problem of government opacity by establishing an apex authority to enforce the right to information, which is derived from the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The RTI Act, which created the CIC, replaced the earlier Freedom of Information Act, 2002, and overrides the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
The CIC consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners, appointed by the President of India. It functions as the final appellate authority for citizens who are dissatisfied with the response from a Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) and its jurisdiction extends over all Central Public Authorities. During an inquiry, the CIC holds the powers of a Civil Court, including the authority to summon persons and compel the production of documents, and can impose penalties on CPIOs for non-compliance.
The Right to Information (Amendment) Act, 2019, introduced significant changes to the CIC's structure. The original Act provided a fixed tenure of five years and pegged the salary of the Chief Information Commissioner to that of the Chief Election Commissioner. The 2019 Amendment removed these fixed provisions, empowering the Central Government to determine the tenure, salaries, and other terms of service for both Central and State Information Commissioners. The core function of the CIC as the final appellate authority under the RTI Act remains the same.