Info panel to miss annual report deadline

The state information commission (SIC) is likely to miss the deadline of submitting its annual report to the state legislature this year. 

This is the first time that the commission will be missing the deadline. The SIC was to submit its 11th annual report of 2016 by the end of this year's winter session.

One of the reasons, said SIC officials, was the absence of a permanent chief information commissioner. At present, the additional charge is held by Ajit Kumar Jain, information commissioner of Brihanmumbai bench, who was given the role soon after Ratnakar Gaikwad, former state chief information commissioner, retired in May this year.

In the past, commission reports have been critical for the functioning of the public authorities. In its 2015 report, it had highlighted how over 20 public authorities had defied the RTI Act by not sending their annual reports for them to be compiled in the commission's annual report.

Jain did not respond to DNA on missing the deadline this year.