The Supreme Court today recalled an order and admitted that it committed a mistake of law by directing that only sitting or retired high court chief justices or an apex court judge could head the central and state information commissions.
A bench of justices A K Patnaik and A K Sikri withdrew its order of September 13, last year in which a slew of directions were passed pertaining to appointment of information commissioners. The Centre had sought review of the apex court's verdict, saying it is against the provisions of the transparency law.The apex court, in its judgement last year, had said that like other quasi judicial bodies, people from judicial background be also appointed as members of the central and
state information commissions and this should be done after consulting the CJI and chief justices of the respective high courts.
The bench had passed the order on a PIL challenging section 12 and 15 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, enumerating the qualifications needed for the appointment of members of the commissions.