In a key Right to Information (RTI) initiative, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has sought details on the backlog of vacancies in reserved posts across various ministries and departments of the Government of India (GoI). However, according to CHRI the responses received are vague, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. This move follows a recent report by a Parliamentary Standing Committee, which flagged the slow pace of filling these constitutionally mandated positions.

Venkatesh Nayak, director of CHRI, said, “In two separate cases, the Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) failed to address the core questions, prompting CHRI to file first appeals. Although the First Appellate Authority issued a common order, the follow-up responses from the CPIOs were strangely off-topic, offering information we never requested.”

Adv Prakash Amebdkar