This is Set 15 of 40 in the smartvidya question bank on the Right to Information Act, 2005 and RTI Rules, 2012, with the latest amendments. Part III: Information Commissions. This set covers Constitution, composition, selection committee, superintendence, qualifications, disqualifications and headquarters.
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Set 15: Section 12: Constitution of the Central Information Commission
1. The Central Information Commission is constituted by the Central Government by
(a) a resolution of Parliament
(b) notification in the Official Gazette
(c) an order of the Supreme Court
(d) an Ordinance
Ans. (b) notification in the Official Gazette — Explanation: Section 12(1) provides for constitution by notification. [Ref: Section 12(1)]
2. The CIC consists of the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners not exceeding
(a) fifteen
(b) ten, as may be deemed necessary
(c) five
(d) seven
Ans. (b) ten, as may be deemed necessary — Explanation: Section 12(2) limits Information Commissioners to ten. [Ref: Section 12(2)]
3. The Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners are appointed by
(a) the Chief Justice of India
(b) the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
(c) the Prime Minister
(d) the President
Ans. (d) the President — Explanation: Section 12(3) provides for appointment by the President on the committee's recommendation. [Ref: Section 12(3)]
4. The committee recommending appointments to the Central Information Commission is chaired by
(a) the President
(b) the Prime Minister
(c) the Chief Justice of India
(d) the Vice-President
Ans. (b) the Prime Minister — Explanation: Section 12(3)(i) names the Prime Minister as chairperson. [Ref: Section 12(3)]
5. Which of the following is a member of the selection committee for the CIC?
(a) The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
(b) The Cabinet Secretary
(c) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
(d) The Chief Justice of India
Ans. (a) The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha — Explanation: The committee is the PM, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM. [Ref: Section 12(3)]
6. The third member of the selection committee under Section 12(3) is
(a) a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister
(b) the Home Minister always
(c) the Law Minister always
(d) the Chief Justice of India
Ans. (a) a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister — Explanation: The PM nominates a Union Cabinet Minister. [Ref: Section 12(3)(iii)]
7. Where no Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is recognised, the Explanation to Section 12(3) treats as such
(a) the Speaker
(b) the senior-most member of the Lok Sabha
(c) the leader of the single largest group in opposition in the Lok Sabha
(d) the leader of the Rajya Sabha opposition
Ans. (c) the leader of the single largest group in opposition in the Lok Sabha — Explanation: The Explanation provides this. [Ref: Section 12(3), Explanation]
8. The general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs of the CIC vests in
(a) the Prime Minister's Office
(b) the Ministry of Law
(c) the Department of Personnel and Training
(d) the Chief Information Commissioner, assisted by the Information Commissioners
Ans. (d) the Chief Information Commissioner, assisted by the Information Commissioners — Explanation: Section 12(4) vests these powers in the Chief Information Commissioner. [Ref: Section 12(4)]
9. Section 12(4) provides that the Chief Information Commissioner may exercise powers
(a) only after consulting the CAG
(b) only with DoPT approval
(c) only with Cabinet approval
(d) autonomously, without being subjected to directions by any other authority under the Act
Ans. (d) autonomously, without being subjected to directions by any other authority under the Act — Explanation: Section 12(4) secures the Commission's autonomy. [Ref: Section 12(4)]
10. Commissioners must be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in
(a) only administration
(b) only law
(c) only journalism
(d) law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance
Ans. (d) law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance — Explanation: Section 12(5) lists these fields. [Ref: Section 12(5)]
11. Under Section 12(6), the Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall NOT be
(a) a journalist earlier in life
(b) a Member of Parliament or of a State Legislature
(c) a former judge
(d) a retired civil servant
Ans. (b) a Member of Parliament or of a State Legislature — Explanation: Section 12(6) bars MPs and MLAs, holders of offices of profit, persons connected with political parties and those carrying on business or profession. [Ref: Section 12(6)]
12. Which of these is a disqualification under Section 12(6)?
(a) Being above sixty years of age
(b) Being connected with any political party
(c) Having served in the IAS
(d) Having a law degree
Ans. (b) Being connected with any political party — Explanation: Connection with a political party is a bar. [Ref: Section 12(6)]
13. Under Section 12(6), a Commissioner shall not
(a) carry on any business or pursue any profession
(b) write books
(c) hold a passport
(d) own a house
Ans. (a) carry on any business or pursue any profession — Explanation: Section 12(6) bars business or profession. [Ref: Section 12(6)]
14. The headquarters of the Central Information Commission is at
(a) Chennai
(b) Kolkata
(c) Delhi
(d) Mumbai
Ans. (c) Delhi — Explanation: Section 12(7) fixes the headquarters at Delhi. [Ref: Section 12(7)]
15. The CIC may establish offices at other places in India with the
(a) approval of the Supreme Court
(b) approval of Parliament
(c) consent of the States
(d) previous approval of the Central Government
Ans. (d) previous approval of the Central Government — Explanation: Section 12(7) requires Central Government approval. [Ref: Section 12(7)]
16. Section 12(6) bars a Commissioner from holding
(a) any academic post after retirement
(b) any property
(c) any membership of a library
(d) any other office of profit
Ans. (d) any other office of profit — Explanation: Holding an office of profit is barred. [Ref: Section 12(6)]
17. In Anjali Bhardwaj v. Union of India (2019), the Supreme Court directed
(a) appointment of judges as Commissioners only
(b) timely and transparent appointment of Information Commissioners to fill vacancies
(c) reduction of Commissioners to five
(d) abolition of the CIC
Ans. (b) timely and transparent appointment of Information Commissioners to fill vacancies — Explanation: The Court stressed transparency in selection and filling vacancies in time. [Ref: Section 12; Anjali Bhardwaj (2019)]
18. In Namit Sharma v. Union of India (review, 2013), the Supreme Court
(a) recalled its earlier directions requiring judicial members and benches in Information Commissions
(b) struck down the RTI Act
(c) abolished State Commissions
(d) made Commissioners judges
Ans. (a) recalled its earlier directions requiring judicial members and benches in Information Commissions — Explanation: On review, the Court held that Section 12(5) qualifications are valid and did not require judicial members. [Ref: Section 12(5); Namit Sharma (review, 2013)]
19. The Central Information Commission is
(a) a department of the Ministry of Law
(b) a statutory body created under the RTI Act
(c) a constitutional body
(d) a private body
Ans. (b) a statutory body created under the RTI Act — Explanation: It is constituted under Section 12 of the Act. [Ref: Section 12(1)]
20. Consider: (i) The CIC selection committee has three members. (ii) It includes the Chief Justice of India. Which is correct?
(a) Only (i)
(b) Only (ii)
(c) Both (i) and (ii)
(d) Neither (i) nor (ii)
Ans. (a) Only (i) — Explanation: The CJI is not on the committee under Section 12(3). [Ref: Section 12(3)]
21. The maximum strength of the CIC, including the Chief Information Commissioner, is
(a) five
(b) ten
(c) eleven
(d) twelve
Ans. (c) eleven — Explanation: One Chief Information Commissioner plus up to ten Information Commissioners. [Ref: Section 12(2)]
22. Section 12 came into force
(a) on the 120th day
(b) on notification by the President
(c) at once on enactment of the Act
(d) in 2019
Ans. (c) at once on enactment of the Act — Explanation: Section 1(3) brought Section 12 into force immediately. [Ref: Section 1(3)]
23. Which provision ensures that the CIC is not under the directions of any other authority under the Act?
(a) Section 24
(b) Section 13(6)
(c) Section 12(4)
(d) Section 12(7)
Ans. (c) Section 12(4) — Explanation: Section 12(4) provides autonomy. [Ref: Section 12(4)]
24. Assertion (A): An MP cannot be appointed as Information Commissioner while remaining an MP. Reason (R): Section 12(6) bars Members of Parliament.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A — Explanation: Section 12(6) disqualifies MPs and MLAs. [Ref: Section 12(6)]
25. The selection committee for the CIC recommends names to
(a) the Cabinet Secretary
(b) Parliament
(c) the President
(d) the CJI
Ans. (c) the President — Explanation: The President appoints on the committee's recommendation. [Ref: Section 12(3)]
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These questions are prepared for practice from the Right to Information Act, 2005 as amended (including the 2019 amendment and the November 2025 change to Section 8(1)(j) made by the DPDP Act, 2023), the RTI Rules, 2012 and the 2019 Rules. Check the latest notifications and DoPT instructions before relying on any detail.