The 64-year-old Mathur succeeds Sushma Singh, who demitted office on Wednesday, as the sixth chief of the transparency watchdog. His name was recommended by a three-member selection panel headed by outgoing PM Manmohan Singh. Mathur's term will be a short three months.
Speaking after taking oath, Mathur said, "My priority will be to ensure greater transparency by government departments and reducing pendency ... there are some appeals that have been pending for over eight months. We need to address this." There are 18,000-20,000 cases pending at the commission.
As IB director, Mathur was responsible for ensuring confidentiality of information that was generated or flowed through his bureau. Ironically, the present responsibility demands that he ensure transparency within the government. When asked if he found this contradiction ironical, Mathur said, "Once I came to the CIC, the RTI Act has become my Bible. I don't see any dichotomy about it. We have a very good system, we need to carry it forward."
Mathur, a retired IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is credited in revamping the intelligence set up and raising the quality of intelligence gathering and sharing.
He is recipient of the Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service. Mathur joined as information commissioner in March 2012.
Currently, there are seven information commissioners — Vijai Sharma, Basant Seth, Yashovardhan Azad, Sharat Sabharwal, Manjula Prasher, M A Khan Yusufi and Prof Madabhushanam Sridhar Acharyulu — against the commission's strength of 10.
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