New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has attained its full sanctioned strength of 11 members for the first time in seven years, with the appointment of IAS officer Raj Kumar Goyal as the new Chief Information Commissioner. In addition to Mr. Goyal, eight new Information Commissioners have been appointed, restoring the commission to full functionality after a prolonged period of vacancies.
Mr Goyal was sworn in as Chief Information Commissioner on Monday, December 15, 2025, by President Droupadi Murmu. He retired as Secretary in the Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice on August 31. Over his career, he has also served as Secretary (Border Management) in the Ministry of Home Affairs and held several key positions at the Centre, as well as in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The CIC had been operating with only two Information Commissioners – Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari – since November 2023, while eight positions remained vacant. The prolonged shortage had significantly affected the commission’s functioning and contributed to a growing backlog of cases under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
President Administers Oath
President Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Goyal at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The event was attended by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan and Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, among others. The position of Chief Information Commissioner had been vacant since Heeralal Samariya completed his term on September 13.
Mr Goyal’s appointment follows the recommendation of a three-member selection committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With these appointments, the commission will operate at its full strength of one Chief Information Commissioner and ten Information Commissioners, a position it has not held for over nine years.
Vacancy Created After Exit of Former CIC Hiralal Samariya
The post of Chief Information Commissioner had remained vacant since September 13 following the completion of the tenure of Hiralal Samariya, who retired upon attaining the age of 65. Samariya was the first Dalit Chief Information Commissioner of India.
His exit left the commission headless for the seventh time in the last 11 years, as the government could not immediately finalize his successor.
Selection Committee Meeting and Political Dissent
The appointments followed a meeting of the three-member selection committee held on December 10. The panel was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and included Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi registered a strong note of dissent during the meeting, questioning the criteria adopted for the selection of candidates. The government later rebutted his claims. Despite the dissent, the committee approved the names of the new Chief Information Commissioner, eight Information Commissioners, and a vigilance commissioner.
Dominance of Retired Bureaucrats in the New CIC
The newly constituted Central Information Commission is largely composed of retired bureaucrats, reflecting the government’s preference for experienced administrators with long tenures in public service and governance.
Women Representation at a Recent High
Among the eight newly appointed Information Commissioners are two women, marking the highest female representation in the commission in recent years. The women commissioners include –
- Ms Jaya Varma Sinha, former and first woman Chairman of the Railway Board
- Ms Sudha Rani Relangi, former Member (Legal) of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB)
Other Newly Appointed Information Commissioners
The other Information Commissioners appointed to the CIC include –
- Mr Swagat Das, former IPS officer who served in the Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Cabinet Secretariat
- Mr Surendra Singh Meena, former Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment (IAS, 1993 batch)
- Mr Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, former Central Secretariat Service officer and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs
- Mr Khushwant Singh Sethi, former Indian Forest Service officer and ex-Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force, Tripura
- Mr P. R. Ramesh, senior journalist
- Mr Ashutosh Chaturvedi, journalist and Editor-in-Chief
These members bring with them a wide range of experience from administration, law enforcement, journalism, environment, and public policy.
Who Is the New Chief Information Commissioner: Raj Kumar Goyal
Background and Cadre
Mr Goyal is a retired 1990-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Arunachal Pradesh–Goa–Mizoram–Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre. He retired on August 31 from the post of Secretary, Department of Justice, under the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Educational Qualifications
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics from Roorkee University, Uttar Pradesh. His technical education has complemented his administrative career, allowing him to handle complex governance and policy responsibilities effectively.
Key Positions Held During His Career
Over a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, IAS Goyal has held several important positions at both the central and state levels, including –
- Secretary, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice
- Secretary (Border Management), Ministry of Home Affairs
- Financial Commissioner, Jammu
- Principal Secretary to the Governor, Jammu & Kashmir
- Joint Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
- CEO, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Amarnath Shrine Board
- Deputy Commissioner, Jammu
His first posting was as Sub-Divisional Officer/Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDO/SDM) Basholi in 1992, where he gained hands-on experience in grassroots administration.
Extensive Experience in Jammu & Kashmir
He has extensive experience working in Jammu & Kashmir, where he served in multiple senior roles during sensitive administrative periods. As Principal Secretary to the Governor and Financial Commissioner, he played a crucial role in governance and public administration in the region.
His tenure as CEO of the Vaishno Devi and Amarnath Shrine Boards further highlighted his administrative capability in managing large institutions of national and religious importance.
Contribution to Law and Justice
As Secretary of the Department of Justice, he was instrumental in shaping legal reforms and policy initiatives at the national level. His work contributed to strengthening the justice delivery system and improving institutional efficiency within India’s legal framework.
Taking Charge as Chief Information Commissioner
IAS Goyal has formally assumed charge as Chief Information Commissioner after taking the oath. His appointment is expected to bring administrative experience, legal expertise, and institutional stability to the Central Information Commission at a time when transparency and accountability are crucial for democratic governance.
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