RAS Pre 2023, held on 1 October 2023. Question text as printed in RPSC's booklet; answer as per RPSC's final answer key.

In April, 2023, a Bench of Rajasthan State Information Commission is approved by State Government to be established at which city ?

Q: What is the answer to RAS Pre 2023 Q36?

(3). Correct — option (3), Jodhpur. RPSC's key gives Jodhpur, and the Commission's own records point to the same city. Its annual report for 2024 refers to the new bench in Jodhpur, which had not begun working by September 2024. For that reason, the report says, the Commission held a two-day special court at the District Collectorate premises in Jodhpur on 11 and 12 September 2024, on citizens' demand, to dispose of pending cases from Jodhpur division. The law allows offices outside the headquarters. Section 15(7) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 says a State Information Commission may, "with the previous approval of the State Government, establish offices at other places in the State." The Commission's headquarters, its annual report states, is at Jaipur. The idea to remember: Information Commission headquarters at Jaipur; the new bench at Jodhpur.

(1)Ajmer
(2)Kota
(3)Jodhpur
(4)Udaipur

Answer

(3)

Why

Correct — option (3), Jodhpur.

RPSC's key gives Jodhpur, and the Commission's own records point to the same city. Its annual report for 2024 refers to the new bench in Jodhpur, which had not begun working by September 2024.

For that reason, the report says, the Commission held a two-day special court at the District Collectorate premises in Jodhpur on 11 and 12 September 2024, on citizens' demand, to dispose of pending cases from Jodhpur division.

The law allows offices outside the headquarters. Section 15(7) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 says a State Information Commission may, "with the previous approval of the State Government, establish offices at other places in the State."

The Commission's headquarters, its annual report states, is at Jaipur.

The idea to remember: Information Commission headquarters at Jaipur; the new bench at Jodhpur.

Why the others are wrong

(1)
Ajmer — Ajmer is where other State bodies sit. Section 6 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 fixes the headquarters of the Board of Revenue at Ajmer, and the Rajasthan Public Service Commission's address is Ghooghara Ghati, Jaipur Road, Ajmer.
The Information Commission's report names Jodhpur, not Ajmer, for its new bench.
(2)
Kota — Kota once had a bench of the Rajasthan High Court. The High Court's history page records that the High Court ceased to sit at Bikaner, Kota and Udaipur from 22 May 1950.
The Information Commission's 2024 report ties its new bench to Jodhpur, where it also held the special court for Jodhpur division cases.
(4)
Udaipur — Udaipur, like Kota, is a city where the Rajasthan High Court's bench was abolished from 22 May 1950, according to the High Court's history page.
It is not the city the Information Commission's report names for its new bench, which is Jodhpur.

Concept

A State Information Commission hears second appeals and complaints under the Right to Information Act, 2005. Section 15(2) says it consists of the State Chief Information Commissioner and up to ten State Information Commissioners.

Under Section 15(3), the Governor appoints them on the recommendation of a committee of the Chief Minister (chairperson), the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Chief Minister.

Section 15(7) lets the State Government notify the headquarters, and lets the Commission open offices at other places with the State Government's previous approval.

The Rajasthan Commission's annual report describes its penalty power: Rs 250 a day, up to Rs 25,000, on a State Public Information Officer who, without reasonable cause, refuses to receive an application, fails to supply information in time or obstructs it, among other grounds.

RPSC's 2023 Prelims syllabus lists "State Information Commission" among the institutions of Rajasthan, and its current affairs head covers "Major Current Events and Issues of Rajasthan, India and International Importance."

Sources give two dates for the start. The Commission's website says it "was constituted on April 18, 2006". Its annual report says it was constituted on 13 April 2006 and notified in the Rajpatra, and that the first Chief Information Commissioner, M.D. Kaurani, took the oath on 18 April 2006.

On 1 October 2023, D.B. Gupta was Chief Information Commissioner; the report gives his charge from 11 December 2020 until his term ended on 10 December 2023.

Jodhpur already holds the principal seat of the Rajasthan High Court, from 1 November 1956 by the High Court's account, with a permanent bench at Jaipur under a 1976 Order.

Key facts

The Rajasthan State Information Commission's 2024 annual report refers to a new bench in Jodhpur that had not started working by September 2024.
With that bench not started, the Commission held a special court at the Jodhpur District Collectorate on 11–12 September 2024, hearing 71 cases and disposing of 65.
Section 15(7), RTI Act, 2005: a State Information Commission may open offices at other places in the State with the State Government's previous approval.
Section 15(2), RTI Act, 2005: a State Information Commission has a State Chief Information Commissioner and up to ten State Information Commissioners.
The Commission's annual report places its headquarters at Jaipur.

Which Rajasthan body sits where

State Information Commission: headquarters→Jaipur

State Information Commission: new bench named in its 2024 report→Jodhpur (not yet working in September 2024)

Rajasthan High Court: principal seat→Jodhpur, from 1 November 1956

Rajasthan High Court: permanent bench→Jaipur, under a 1976 Order

Board of Revenue and RPSC→Ajmer

From the Information Commission's annual reports, the High Court's history page, Section 6 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 and RPSC's address.

Study next

Right to Information Act, 2005: Sections 15 to 20 on State Information CommissionsSecond appeals under Section 19(3) of the RTI ActPenalties under Section 20 of the RTI ActRajasthan High Court: principal seat at Jodhpur and bench at JaipurRajasthan Lokayukta and State Human Rights Commission

Common traps

Assuming a bench goes to the capital: the Commission's headquarters is already at Jaipur, and its new bench was named for Jodhpur.
Reading an approval as a working office: the Commission's 2024 report says the Jodhpur bench had not started by September 2024.
Mixing up the Commission's start dates: its website gives 18 April 2006, while its annual report dates the constitution to 13 April 2006 and the first Chief Commissioner's oath to 18 April 2006.

A question can ask in which city a State body's bench or headquarters is located, or pair the city with the year of approval.

A question can also ask who appoints State Information Commissioners, or how many Commissioners the RTI Act allows.

Related PYQs

UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2016 here once that paper is published on this site.

Practice

practice — not a real PYQ
Under Section 15(7) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, a State Information Commission may establish offices at other places in the State with the previous approval of
- (a)the Governor
- (b)the State Government
- (c)the Central Information Commission
- (d)the High Court
Answer(2) — Section 15(7) says the Commission may, "with the previous approval of the State Government, establish offices at other places in the State." Option (1) appoints the Commissioners under Section 15(3) but is not the approving authority here; options (3) and (4) have no role in Section 15(7).
practice — not a real PYQ
Under Section 15(2) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the maximum number of State Information Commissioners, besides the State Chief Information Commissioner, is
- (a)Five
- (b)Seven
- (c)Ten
- (d)Twelve
Answer(3) — Section 15(2)(b) allows State Information Commissioners "not exceeding ten" as may be deemed necessary. Options (1) and (2) are below the limit the Act sets; option (4) exceeds it.

The booklet also prints a fifth choice under this question: “(5) Question not attempted”. Options (1)–(4) above are the four answer options.