Kerala State Information Commission

 In the Ministerial staff level the SIC is supported by three Additional Secretaries in the Scale of pay of Rs.46640-59840,One Joint Secretary in the Scale of pay of Rs.44640-58640 and one Section officer in the Scale of pay of Rs.18740-31360 and 8 Assistants on deputation from Secretariat. The CIC is  provided with a PA on deputation from Police department. The CIC and ICs have been provided with the service of two CAs each. Currently the SIC has the service of 14 CAs of whom two are on deputation and 8 on contract basis and 4 on daily wage basis. Contract appointment is under a consolidated pay of Rs.11,500 per mensum.Daily wage is fixed as 350 a day.SIC has employed an IT Expert as sanctioned by Govt on a consolidated pay of Rs.17,000 per mensum.SIC gets the service of 16 office attendants of whom two are on deputation and the rest on daily wage @Rs 300 per day.The Security staff of the SIC are on Contract basis from the Kerala State Ex-servicemen development and rehabilitation Corporation.

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.