Tamil Nadu Names S. Natarajan Chief Information Commissioner

On 30 October 2026, the Tamil Nadu government appointed retired IAS officer S. Natarajan as Chief Information Commissioner of the Tamil Nadu Information Commission. The appointments were approved by Governor RV Arlekar and notified through a government order issued by the Human Resources Management Department.

Appointments and tenure

S. Mahalakshmi, T.K. Shabeer, C.B. Meena and P. Mahalingam were appointed State Information Commissioners to fill vacancies. Mahalingam, a journalist, is the first person from the profession appointed to the commission. The appointments were made under Section 15(3) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, to support the commission’s work on appeals and complaints.

The commissioners will serve for three years from the date they assume office, or until they reach 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. An official notification was also published in the Tamil Nadu government gazette.

Important Facts for Exams

• Appointment committee: Tamil Nadu Information Commission members are appointed by the Governor on a committee’s recommendation, chaired by the Chief Minister and including the Opposition Leader and a Cabinet Minister.
• Membership ceiling: Tamil Nadu Information Commission comprises a State Chief Information Commissioner and no more than ten State Information Commissioners.
• Inquiry powers: Tamil Nadu Information Commission has civil-court powers during inquiries, including discovery and inspection of documents relevant to a complaint.