ShantaeBpy at 09:26, 11 December 2025

2025-12-11T09:26:59Z

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{{Short description|Statutory body in Gujarat, India}}

{{Infobox high court
| court_name = Gujarat State Information Commission
| native_name =
| established = 2 March 2006
| jurisdiction = [[Gujarat]]
| location = Karmayogi Bhavan, State Level Offices, Block No. 1, Second Floor, sector-10 A, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382010.<ref name="gic ref1">{{cite web |title=Gujarat Information Commission |url=https://gic.gujarat.gov.in/front-page/63/About-Us.aspx |website=Gujarat Information Commission |access-date=18 January 2022}}</ref>
| appealsto =
| terms = 3 years from the date of entering office or up to 65 years of [[Ageing|age]] (whichever is earlier)
| authority = [[Right to Information Act, 2005]]
| website = https://gic.gujarat.gov.in/front-page/eStatus.aspx
| motto = {{langx|sa|सूचना जनाधिकार:॥}} ''({{transliteration|sa|Soochna Janadhikaraha}}) {{translation}} Information is the right of the people.''
| chiefjudgetitle = State Chief Information Commissioner
| chiefjudgename = Dr Subhashchandra Soni
| chiefjudgetitle2 =
| chiefjudgename2 =
}}
'''Gujarat State Information Commission''' is an [[Autonomy|autonomous]] and [[Statute|statutory]] body constituted by the state government of [[Gujarat]] through a notification in [[Government gazette|official Gazette]].

== History and objective ==

Gujarat State Information Commission has to be constituted as per The Right to Information Act, 2005 by the State Governments in India through a notification in official Gazette.<ref name="sic ref1">{{cite news |title=State Information Commission: Composition, Power and Functions |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/state-information-commission-1438319829-1 |access-date=15 January 2022 |publisher=jagranjosh.com |date=30 March 2019 |archive-date=16 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116012207/https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/state-information-commission-1438319829-1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gujarat State Information Commission is formed to take up the following:<ref name="sic ref12">{{cite news |title=The decline of India's right to information regime, in four charts |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/the-decline-of-india-s-right-to-information-regime-in-four-charts-11604385637705.html |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=livemint |date=4 November 2020|archive-date=16 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116024430/https://www.livemint.com/news/india/the-decline-of-india-s-right-to-information-regime-in-four-charts-11604385637705.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

* Appeals on the information shared by various government entities under the Right to Information Act.<ref name="gic ref4">{{cite news |title=RTI appeal rejection: Model Gujarat's information commission "competes" with Centre amidst PMO indifference |url=https://www.counterview.net/2018/04/rti-appeal-rejection-model-gujarats.html |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=counterview.net |date=29 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="gic ref5">{{cite news |title=Supreme Court seeks Gujarat HC's response on Gujarat Information Commission plea |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/supreme-court-seeks-gujarat-hc-s-response-on-gujarat-information-commission-plea-115021601772_1.html |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=business-standard.com |date=16 February 2015}}</ref>
* Complaints on refusal to give information or in relation to inability to file Right to Information Act.
* Commission should get annual report from various departments working in the state about complaints received under Right to Information Act, 2005 and their responses on the same.

Gujarat Information Commission occasionally conducts awareness programmes on implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 effectively by general public.

Amrutbhai Patel, IAS (Retd.) is the current Chief Information commissioner of Gujarat Information Commission.<ref name="gic ref2">{{cite news |last1=A Dabhi |first1=Parimal |title=Information panel prohibits 4 from filing pleas under RTI Act |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/information-panel-prohibits-4-from-filing-pleas-under-rti-act-7165935/ |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=indianexpress.com |date=29 January 2021}}</ref>

== Tenure and service ==

Any vacancy in the State Information Commission has to be filled within six months from the date of vacancy.<ref name="sic ref7">{{cite news |title=SC Asks States for Updates on Vacancies, Pendency in Information Commissions |url=https://thewire.in/government/sc-orders-state-to-file-status-reports-on-information-commissions |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=The Wire |date=19 August 2021|archive-date=16 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116013903/https://thewire.in/government/sc-orders-state-to-file-status-reports-on-information-commissions |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gujarat Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), Information Commissioner (IC) and State Information Commissioner's salaries, allowances and other service terms and conditions are equivalent to a Judge of the Supreme Court.<ref name="sic ref10">{{cite news |title=RTI Bill 2019: Undermining autonomy of information commissions and transparency in governance |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rti-bill-2019-undermining-autonomy-of-information-commissions-and-transparency-in-governance-1571439-2019-07-19 |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=indiatoday.in |date=19 July 2019}}</ref>

== Powers and functions ==

The commission under powers granted to it can secure from the public authorities compliance of any of its decisions.

Commission is duty bound to receive and conduct enquiry into any complaint received from any person.

The commission has civil judicial authority for issuing summons requiring examination of any witnesses or related documents or any other prescribed matters relating to complaint.

Any provision under which summons were issued and as per which attendance is required of persons and requires them to give written or oral evidence under an oath and producing documents or other details relevant to it.

Provision requiring evidence on stamped [[affidavit]].

Powers relating to request from any court or office of any public record.

Commission under the powers can recommend steps which can be taken for confirming to the provisions of the act if any public authority fails to do so.

== Challenges ==

Gujarat State Information Commission are overburdened with backlog cases,<ref name="gic ref3">{{cite news |title=Gujarat Information Commission an overburdened body |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/gujarat-information-commission-an-overburdened-body/story-majpNCPK4gaVu9rsjfE13K.html |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=hindustantimes |date=13 October 2009}}</ref> similar to [[Central Vigilance Commission]].<ref name="sic ref8">{{cite news |last1=Mishra |first1=Soni |title=Central Information Commission headless for 5th time in 6 years |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2020/08/27/central-information-commission-headless-for-5th-time-in-6-years.html |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=the week |date=27 August 2020}}</ref> Due to shortage of available staff and vacancies not being filled, there is backlog of cases filed.<ref name="sic ref4">{{cite news |last1=sharma |first1=nidhi |title=Info commissions have a waiting time of over one year for an applicant seeking information under RTI Act: Report |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/info-commissions-have-a-waiting-time-of-over-one-year-for-an-applicant-seeking-information-under-rti-act-report/articleshow/86946016.cms?from=mdr |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=economictimes |date=11 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="sic ref5">{{cite news |title=Over 32,000 RTI appeals pending with Central Information Commission: Govt. |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/over-32000-rti-appeals-pending-with-central-information-commission-govt/article37969462.ece |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=thehindu.com |date=16 December 2021}}</ref> The maximum number of appeals and complaints pending as per October 2014 records were in state of Uttar Pradesh. However, some states like Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura didn't have pending complaints.<ref name="sic ref6">{{cite news |title=21 of 29 state information commissions did not hold any RTI hearings during lockdown |url=https://theprint.in/india/21-of-29-state-information-commissions-did-not-hold-any-rti-hearings-during-lockdown/426103/ |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=The Print |date=21 May 2020}}</ref> State Information Commission as per the provision has limited to provide information and cannot take any action.

In spite of above limitation, Gujarat State Information Commissions plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency in public life and supports in greater way in checking corruption, combating oppression, preventing nepotism and misuse of the public authority.

A survey conducted by [[Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative]], showed that most State Information Commission in India were inactive during Covid pandemic.<ref name="sic ref11">{{cite news |title=State information commissions inactive during COVID-19: Survey |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/state-information-commissions-inactive-during-covid-19-survey-70736 |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=downtoearth |date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

==Banned people from filing RTI==

Gujarat State Information Commission banned 10 people from filing RTI queries, citing that these people were "harassing government officials" by filing multiple queries.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gujarat: 10 People Banned From Filing RTI Queries; One of Them Fined Rs 5,000, a First in History |url=https://thewire.in/rights/gujarat-10-people-banned-from-filing-rti-queries-one-of-them-fined-rs-5000-a-first-in-history |access-date=2022-08-29 |work=The Wire |date=2022-08-09}}</ref> There are no provisions under which Commissions can ban people from filing RTIs. That's why the ban was criticized as “wholly unconstitutional”.

== See also ==

[[Central Information Commission]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://gic.gujarat.gov.in/front-page/eStatus.aspx Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411205905/https://gic.gujarat.gov.in/front-page/eStatus.aspx |date=2021-04-11 }}
* [https://gswan.gujarat.gov.in/right-to-information.aspx RTI Link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118043313/https://gswan.gujarat.gov.in/right-to-information.aspx |date=2022-01-18 }}


[[Category:Indian commissions and inquiries]]
[[Category:Anti-corruption measures in India]]
[[Category:Anti-corruption agencies]]

Gujarat State Information Commission - Revision history

ShantaeBpy at 09:26, 11 December 2025