Kohima, November 30 (MExN): In accordance with Section 16 (5) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners are regulated.
However, a DIPR report stated that there is no defined provision under the Right to Information Act, 2005 for sanctioning pensionary benefits to the State Information Commissioners.
Representations have been received from the retired State Information Commissioners requesting for grant of pension for their service in the Commission. Further, the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench had passed the Judgement & Order dated 02/07/2018 against WP(C) No. 98(K)17 to grant pension to the State Information Commissioners.
The State Government had examined the matter in detail and accordingly, the following rate of pension is sanctioned for the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners:
i. Pension (in respect of those not getting pension from previous service) and additional pension (in respect of those getting pension from previous service) at the rate of Rs.15,000 (fifteen thousand) per annum for each completed year of service.
ii. The duration of service shall be computed in terms of completed years, but if the service rendered is 6 months or more, additional benefit of half years pension i.e., 7500/- (seven thousand five hundred) per annum may be allowed.
iii. There shall be no family pension.
iv. Pension may be paid from the next day of demitting office.
v. In respect of retired government officials already drawing pension, their pension and additional pension combined should not exceed Rs. 15,00,000 (fifteen Lakh) per annum.
vi. The State Information Commission may obtain budget allocation for discharging the pension liabilities every year and pension may be paid, directly by the Commission.
In accordance with Section 16(4) and under Section 17 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners who are dismissed/ removed or resigned shall not be eligible for pension benefits.
This has been issued with the concurrence of Finance Department vide U.O. No. 190 dated 8/11/2019 and vetting by Justice & Law Department vide U.O. No.728 dated 25/11/2019.
