Cornelius R at 19:39, 3 December 2025

2025-12-03T19:39:11Z

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{{Short description|Statutory body in Karnataka, India}}{{Infobox high court
| court_name = Karnataka State Information Commission
| native_name =
| established = {{start date and years ago|2006|03|02|df=y|p=y}}
| jurisdiction = [[Karnataka]]
| location = Mahiti Soudha, Devaraj Urs Road, Opposite to Vidhan Soudha, West Gate-2,
Bengaluru-560001.<ref name="kic ref1">{{cite web |title=Karnataka State Information Commission |url=https://www.kic.gov.in/whatwedo.do |website=Karnataka State Information Commission |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=19 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119032752/https://www.kic.gov.in/whatwedo.do |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| appealsto =
| terms = 3 years from the date of entering office or up to 65 years of age (whichever is earlier)
| authority = [[Right to Information Act, 2005]]
| website = https://www.kic.gov.in/whatwedo.do
| motto = {{langx|sa|सूचना जनाधिकार:॥}} ''({{transliteration|sa|Soochna Janadhikaraha}}) {{translation}} Information is the right of the people.''
| chiefjudgetitle = State Chief Information Commissioner
| chiefjudgename = Dr. H C Satyan
| chiefjudgetitle2 =
| chiefjudgename2 =
}}

The '''Karnataka State Information Commission''' is an [[Autonomy|autonomous]] and [[Statute|statutory]] body constituted[[Government gazette|Gazette]].

== History and objective ==

Karnataka 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}}</ref>

Karnataka 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}}</ref>

* Appeals on the information shared by various government entities under the Right to Information Act.<ref name="kic ref4">{{cite news |title=CID comes under the purview of RTI Act, says Karnataka Information Commission |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/cid-comes-under-the-purview-of-rti-act-says-karnataka-information-commission/article27394788.ece |access-date=19 January 2022 |publisher=thehindu.com |date=31 May 2019}}</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.

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

N C Srinivasa is the current Chief Information commissioner of Karnataka Information Commission.<ref name="kic ref3">{{cite news |title=30,000 second appeals pending before Information Commission: RTI reply |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/30000-second-appeals-pending-before-information-commission-rti-reply-970350.html |access-date=19 January 2022 |publisher=deccanherald.com |date=4 April 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}}</ref>

Karnataka 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 ==

Karnataka State Information Commission are overburdened with backlog cases,<ref name="kic ref2">{{cite news |title=Karnataka: 50% drop in RTI case hearings, pending cases breach 30,000-mark |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/karnataka-50-drop-in-rti-case-hearings-pending-cases-breach-30000-mark-1042660.html |access-date=19 January 2022 |publisher=deccanherald.com |date=21 October 2021}}</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> A shortage of available staff has produced a 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> Uttar Pradesh has the largest backlog as of October 2014. 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, Karnataka 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>

== Related articles ==

[[Central Information Commission]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.kic.gov.in/whatwedo.do Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119032752/https://www.kic.gov.in/whatwedo.do |date=2022-01-19 }}
* [https://rtionline.karnataka.gov.in/ RTI link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119033318/https://rtionline.karnataka.gov.in/ |date=2022-01-19 }}



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

Karnataka State Information Commission - Revision history

Cornelius R at 19:39, 3 December 2025