RTI Inquiry Reveals Lack of Clarity on Air Chief Appointment Process
Unclear Records on Air Chief Appointment
Air Chief Marshal (retd) R K S Bhadauria, whose appointment as Chief of Air Staff was the subject of an RTI application. (Photo:X)
New Delhi, Nov 4: Three defense offices were unable to pinpoint the authority responsible for maintaining records related to the Chief of Air Staff's appointment. The Defence Ministry cited national security concerns to withhold information regarding the selection process and the policies governing the appointment of service chiefs, as revealed in a recent RTI response.
The RTI applicant requested the names of officers considered for the Air Chief position following Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa's retirement, along with documents and correspondence related to Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria's appointment as his successor, and details about the governing policies.
However, the Defence Ministry denied this request, labeling the appointment of service chiefs as a sensitive issue that impacts national security, invoking Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, a stance supported by the Central Information Commission (CIC).
Dhanoa held the position of Chief of Air Staff from January 1, 2017, until September 30, 2019, after which Bhadauria took over and served until September 30, 2021.
The RTI application, submitted on March 25, 2024, was first directed to the Department of Defence, which then passed it to the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).
The DMA later forwarded the request to the Air Headquarters, which responded that it had "no such information" available.
In a follow-up to the CIC, the Air-III Division of the DMA reported that it could not locate any records concerning the Chief of Air Staff's appointment.
They also noted that the official managing the application was unaware of which section or division was responsible for such appointments.
The Air-III Division explained that the application was sent to the Air Headquarters in hopes that the relevant authority could provide insights or identify the appropriate division within the ministry.
An official described the situation as "unfortunate," stating that the Air Headquarters also struggled to identify the correct authority and ultimately claimed that the information was not available.
After further investigation, the Air-III Division discovered that the AF/Policy wing in the Department of Defence handled the matter and redirected the application there.
Nevertheless, a joint secretary from the AF/Policy wing denied the request, reiterating that the appointment of service chiefs is a sensitive issue affecting national security.
This official invoked Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, which protects information that could harm India's sovereignty, integrity, security, and strategic interests.
During a recent hearing, the respondents informed the CIC that the ministry's denial of information on security grounds had been communicated to the applicant.
They also clarified that the appointment of service chiefs is regulated by statutory provisions and laws.
The CIC noted that the respondents adequately addressed the queries in the RTI application and deemed the response satisfactory.
The Chief of Air Staff is appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by the Prime Minister, with formal approval from the President of India, who serves as the supreme commander of the armed forces.