PATNA: Former Bihar Director General of Police Vinay Kumar (IPS:1991) has taken charge as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of Bihar.
Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office to Kumar at Bihar Lok Bhawan a couple of days ago, marking his formal assumption of the state’s top post in the Bihar Information Commission.
Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit were among those present at the swearing-in ceremony.
Kumar’s appointment comes after his name was approved at a high-level selection committee meeting last Friday, following which the General Administration Department (GAD) issued the formal notification appointing him as Chief Information Commissioner.
From Bihar DGP to Chief Information Commissioner
Vinay Kumar is a 1991-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Bihar cadre who previously served as Director General of Police of the state.
His move to the Bihar Information Commission marks a transition from a senior law-enforcement role to an institutional position centred on transparency, access to information and implementation of the Right to Information Act.
As Chief Information Commissioner, Kumar will now oversee the functioning of the Bihar Information Commission and matters relating to pending appeals and complaints under the RTI Act.
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Appointment Cleared by High-Level Committee
Kumar’s appointment followed consideration by a high-level committee comprising the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition.
His name was approved at the committee meeting held last Friday. The subsequent notification was issued by the General Administration Department, formally paving the way for his appointment as CIC.
The selection process is significant because the Chief Information Commissioner heads the state information commission and plays a central role in ensuring that appeals and complaints under the RTI framework are dealt with in accordance with the law.
CIC Post Was Vacant Since July 31
The appointment fills the position of Chief Information Commissioner, which had remained vacant since July 31.
With Kumar now taking charge, the Bihar Information Commission gets a new head to oversee its pending workload and the disposal of cases relating to citizens’ right to access information held by public authorities.
The RTI framework provides citizens with a mechanism to seek information from public authorities and establishes information commissions to adjudicate appeals and complaints arising from the process.
Retired Judicial Officer Anjani Kumar Singh Also Sworn In
The swearing-in ceremony also saw the appointment of retired judicial officer Anjani Kumar Singh as an Information Commissioner.
Singh took oath as Information Commissioner alongside Vinay Kumar at the same ceremony.
The simultaneous appointments provide fresh leadership at the Bihar Information Commission, with Kumar heading the commission as Chief Information Commissioner and Singh joining as an Information Commissioner.
New Role Will Focus on RTI Case Disposal
One of Kumar’s immediate responsibilities will be to oversee the handling of pending cases before the Bihar Information Commission.
The commission deals with second appeals and complaints under the Right to Information Act when citizens seek information from public authorities and are dissatisfied with the response or do not receive one within the prescribed framework.
As CIC, Kumar will therefore be responsible for guiding the commission’s functioning and ensuring disposal of matters placed before it.
His extensive administrative experience as a senior IPS officer, including his tenure as Bihar DGP, now comes into a different institutional setting where the focus will be on transparency, statutory adjudication and citizens’ access to information.
A New Phase After a Long Policing Career
Kumar’s appointment represents a significant shift from policing to a statutory information commission.
After serving in the Bihar Police and reaching the highest level of state police leadership as DGP, the 1991-batch officer has now taken charge of an institution whose mandate is closely linked to transparency and accountability in public administration.
His tenure as Chief Information Commissioner will therefore bring his long experience in government administration and public institutions into the functioning of the Bihar Information Commission.
