Ex-Justice Secretary Raj Kumar Goyal Appointed Chief Information Commissioner

For the country’s transparency and accountability regime, former Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice Raj Kumar Goyal took oath as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of Central Information Commission (CIC) in a ceremony held on December 15th, 2025. While administering the oath, President Droupadi Murmu initiated a new beginning in one of the country’s most critical institutions under the Right to Information Act, 2005, with a new head in charge.

Swearing-in Ceremony

• The swearing-in ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan and was attended by several senior dignitaries, including Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra, and Minister of State for Personnel Dr Jitendra Singh.
• Later in the day, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued the official notification confirming the appointment.
• As per the notification, Raj Kumar Goyal assumed office with effect from the forenoon of December 15, 2025.
• According to the provisions of the RTI Act, the tenure of the Chief Information Commissioner is three years.

Key Highlights

• Appointee: Raj Kumar Goyal
• Position: Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)
• Tenure: 3 years (as per RTI Act)

Background

• 1990-batch IAS officer
• Served in Ministry of Law & Justice (Justice Secretary)
• Earlier postings in MHA and MEA
• Belonged to Jammu & Kashmir cadre, later AGMUT cadre

Appointment Process (RTI Act, 2005)

The CIC is appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of a committee comprising,

• Prime Minister is the Chairperson
• Union Home Minister
• Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

The same committee also recommends Information Commissioners.

About the Central Information Commission

• Statutory Power Gets From: Right to Information Act, 2005.
• Role: It plays a pivotal role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities by adjudicating appeals and complaints related to information requests.
• Composition: The Commission is headed by the Chief Information Commissioner and can have a maximum of 10 Information Commissioners. At present, Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari are serving as Information Commissioners.

Other Appointments as Information Commissioners

• Alongside the appointment of the new CIC, several names have been recommended for appointment as Information Commissioners.
• These include former Railway Board Chairperson Jaya Verma Sinha, former IPS officer Swagat Das, former CSS officer Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, former IAS officer Surendra Singh Meena, and former IFS officer Khushwant Singh Sethi.
• Such appointments are crucial to ensure that the Commission functions at full strength and addresses the growing backlog of RTI appeals and complaints.

Key Takeaways

• Raj Kumar Goyal appointed as Chief Information Commissioner on December 15, 2025.
• Oath administered by President Droupadi Murmu.
• Appointment made under Section 12(3) of the RTI Act, 2005.
• Tenure of the CIC is three years.
• Goyal is a 1990-batch IAS officer and former Justice Secretary.
• CIC post was vacant since September 2025 after Heeralal Samariya demitted office.

Question

Q. The Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners derive their powers from which legislation?

(A) Official Secrets Act, 1923
(B) Right to Information Act, 2005
(C) Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
(D) RTI Rules, 2019