Raipur, Jan 10 In a significant development aimed at bolstering transparency and the effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in Chhattisgarh, the state government has appointed retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain as the new State Chief Information Commissioner.
The announcement ends months of anticipation surrounding the key vacancy in the State Information Commission.
Alongside Jain, two other prominent individuals have been appointed as State Information Commissioners -- retired IAS officer Umesh Agarwal and senior journalist Shirish Chandra Mishra.
These appointments, made by order of the Governor of Chhattisgarh, are for a term of three years.
The long-awaited appointments come after prolonged discussions and a delay primarily caused by a pending court case related to the Chief Information Commissioner's post.
With the legal hurdles now cleared, the General Administration Department issued the official notification, paving the way for the reconstituted commission to resume full operations. These symbolic images represent the role of State Information Commissions in upholding RTI and transparency in governance across India.
According to the notification, the terms of service, salary, allowances, and other conditions for the appointees will be governed by the Right to Information (Terms of Office, Salary, Allowances and other Conditions of Service of the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions) Rules, 2019, as notified by the Government of India on October 24, 2019.
Amitabh Jain, a 1989-batch IAS officer, retired as Chief Secretary in September 2025 after a distinguished career that included a rare extension of service.
His extensive administrative experience is expected to bring efficiency and credibility to the commission, which plays a crucial role in hearing second appeals under the RTI Act and ensuring government accountability.
The appointments are seen as a positive step toward reducing pending cases and strengthening citizens' access to information in Chhattisgarh. With the full commission now in place, citizens and activists hope for faster disposal of RTI appeals and greater transparency in public administration.
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