What is the Central Information Commission (CIC)?

The CIC sits at the top of the central government RTI appeal chain: PIO → FAA → CIC. It is the final adjudicator for RTI matters involving central government ministries, departments, PSUs, constitutional bodies, and other central public authorities.

The CIC is headed by the Chief Information Commissioner and can have up to ten Information Commissioners. It functions like a quasi-judicial court — it conducts hearings, examines evidence, and passes binding orders.

Example: Rajan filed an RTI with the Ministry of Finance about a public contract. The PIO refused under §8(1)(d) (commercial confidence). The FAA upheld the refusal. Rajan files a Second Appeal with the CIC. The CIC holds a hearing, examines the records in camera, finds the refusal unjustified, orders disclosure, and imposes a ₹25,000 penalty on the CPIO.

• Order disclosure of information — binding on the public authority.
• Impose penalties on the PIO/CPIO under §20 — up to ₹25,000 per matter.
• Award compensation to applicants under §19(8)(b).
• Recommend disciplinary action against PIO.
• Direct public authorities to comply with §4 (suo motu disclosure) obligations.
• Examine records in camera without showing them to the third party if needed.

• CIC orders are enforceable. Unlike many government tribunals, CIC orders on central authorities are directly enforceable — non-compliance can be challenged in the High Court.
• No fee for Second Appeal. Filing a Second Appeal with the CIC is completely free.
• Online filing available. The CIC has an online portal for filing Second Appeals — cic.gov.in.
• CIC orders are published — they build up a body of case law that PIOs and FAAs must follow.

• §12 — constitution of the CIC.
• §13 — tenure and service conditions of commissioners.
• §19(3) — Second Appeal to CIC within 90 days of FAA order.
• §18(1) — Complaint to CIC.
• §19(8) — CIC's powers to order disclosure, penalty, compensation.
• §20 — penalty provisions.

• First Appeal Builder — builds the §19(1) First Appeal (prerequisite for CIC Second Appeal).
• Timeline Calculator — computes the 90-day CIC Second Appeal filing window.
• PIO Reply Checker — ensures your case record is strong before approaching the CIC.

CIC for central government public authorities (central ministries, PSUs, constitutional bodies). SIC for state government public authorities (state departments, municipalities, state PSUs). If in doubt, check whether the authority receives its budget primarily from the central or state government.

The CIC has a significant backlog. Realistically, Second Appeals take 6-18 months. Expedited hearings are available for life-and-liberty matters.

Yes — parties can appear in person or through an authorised representative. The CIC also conducts many hearings via video conference. You do not need a lawyer.

• Right to Information Act, 2005 — §§12, 13, 18, 19, 20
• CIC portal: cic.gov.in
• CIC Annual Report 2024-25

Last reviewed: May 2026. Part of the RTI Wiki definitions series.