State Information Commissioner

State Information Commission, Kerala, has been constituted by Government of Kerala under section 15(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (No.22 of 2005)

Kerala State Information Commission was constituted under section 15(1) of the Right to Information Act 2005, through gazette notification No.80649/Cdn.5/05/GAD dated 19^th December 2005 (Gazette No.Vol.L/2731 dated 19-12-2005.  The Commission consists of the State Chief Information Commissioner and four State Information Commissioners.  Under section 15(3) of the Act,the following have been appointed as the State Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioners and they have assumed charge on the dates mentioned against each.

i)   Shri. Palat Mohandas, IAS (Retd.),State Chief Information Commissioner :  21-12-2005

ii)  Shri V.V. Giry, State Information Commissioner :  21-12-2005 

iii) Shri P. Faziluddin, State Information Commissioner : 24-05-2006 (Demitted office on 16/12/2008 A.N)

iv) Shri. P.N. Vijayakumar, State Information Commissioner : 24-05-2006 (Demitted office on 17/02/2010 A.N)

v) Shri. Dr. K. Rajagopal, State Information Commissioner : 24-7-2008  

The Chief Information Commissioner is responsible for general superintendence, direction and management of State Information Commission. State Information Commissioners may be appointed to assist him. The State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners may exercise all such powers and do all such things, which may be exercised or done by State Information Commission, autonomously without being subjected to directed by any other authority under the Act.

 The main function of State Information Commission, Kerala, is to receive and enquire into complaints in matters relating to requesting or obtaining access to information under RTI Act as also act as Second Appellate Authority against orders of State PIOs. The Act provides that while inquiring into any complaint under Section 18, the Commission shall have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court while trying a suit under Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 in respect of summoning and enforcing attendance of persons, discovery and inspection of documents, receiving evidence of affidavit , requisitioning any public records, issuing summonses of examination of witnesses or documents etc.

 The commission is autonomous and is not subject to directions by any other authority under the Act. The Commission is required to prepare annual reports on implementation of the provisions of the Act during the year and the State Government is required to cause a copy of the report of the Commission laid before each House of the State Legislature.

 The Commission is governed by The Right to Information Act 2005 and Rules made by the government under the said Act. In dealing with complaints, the Commission also exercises some powers of Courts under The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. The Commission will be maintaining separate records of complaints and appeals made to it under the Act.

Members of Public are welcome to make suggestions for improving the implementation of the Act which could be considered by the Commission in preparing its Annual Report under section 25(1) of the Act or making suitable recommendations to concerned Public Authority under section25(5) of the Act.