New Delhi, 15 December (H.S.):

Former IAS officer Raj Kumar Goyal, a 1990-batch retiree from the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) on Monday by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Goyal, who superannuated on August 31 as Secretary in the Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice, steps into the role to oversee India's Right to Information (RTI) framework amid rising demands for transparency.His appointment follows a recommendation last week by a high-level three-member panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comprising the Leader of Opposition and the Union Cabinet Secretary, underscoring the government's commitment to strengthening institutional accountability.

Goyal's extensive bureaucratic career, spanning over three decades across challenging terrains and key judicial administration roles, positions him to address longstanding RTI backlogs and enforcement gaps that have frustrated citizens seeking public records.

The oath-taking ceremony marks a pivotal moment for the Central Information Commission (CIC), which has faced vacancies and delays, with Modi tweeting congratulations on the timely selection of a seasoned administrator to bolster governance openness.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar