45-Day Timeline for Disposal of RTI Appeals Not Fixed; CIC Directed to Improve Mechanism for Clearing Pendency: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has ruled that it cannot direct the Central Information Commission (CIC) to decide second appeals under the Right to Information Act, 2005 within a fixed period of 45 days because the law itself does not prescribe any such mandatory timeline. While declining the relief sought, the Court made it clear that the Commission cannot keep appeals pending indefinitely and must adopt an…