Mizoram: Retired IAS officer H. Lalengmawia sworn in as state CIC

Retired IAS officer H. Lalengmawia was sworn in as Mizoram's State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) at the Durbar Hall of Lok Bhavan in Aizawl on Wednesday, October 21, The Times of India reported.

Governor Gen (retd) Vijay Kumar Singh administered the oath after Chief Secretary Khilli Ram Meena read out the notification of appointment.

Who attended

The ceremony was attended by PWD Minister Vanlalhlana, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister C. Lalsawivunga, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Lalthansanga, Leader of the Opposition Lalchhandama Ralte, legislators and other dignitaries.

Career

Lalengmawia is from Kawrtethawveng village in Mamit district, which borders Tripura and Bangladesh. He joined the Mizoram Civil Service in 1991 as batch topper and was inducted into the IAS on March 19, 2014, in the AGMUT cadre, with the 2005 batch allotted.

Over his career in the state government he held a number of key posts, including:

• Joint Chief Electoral Officer
• State Protocol Officer
• Director of School Education
• Deputy Commissioner of Champhai and of Kolasib
• Secretary of Home; Environment, Forests and Climate Change; Health and Family Welfare; Power and Electricity; and Higher and Technical Education

He retired on superannuation on November 30, 2025.

What the CIC does

The State Information Commission is the appeal body under the Right to Information Act, 2005. It hears second appeals and complaints from citizens who do not get information from public authorities, and can impose penalties on information officers for unjustified delays or refusals. The Chief Information Commissioner heads the commission.

Why it matters

The commission is the last level of appeal within the state for people seeking government records under the RTI Act. A functioning commission is key to how quickly citizens' appeals are heard.

How to file an RTI appeal

Citizens who do not receive a reply from a department's Public Information Officer within 30 days, or who are unhappy with the reply, can file a first appeal with the department's appellate authority. If that does not resolve the matter, a second appeal can be filed with the Mizoram State Information Commission.