Mr. Bijaya Nayak, Ex-MLA suggested that the State Council be made into a statutory body in the sense that it should have a fixed tenure of at least 5 years, before expiry of which it cannot be dissolved. Moreover the notification of this body and it's functions and procedures should be made along with the notification of the Act itself so as to avoid the delay of it's formation and operationalisation.
Ms. Sunita Pattanaik of CYSD, Bhubaneswar felt likewise and further added that the Council should not be headed by a Minister, since with the fall of a Government, the concerned Minister shall cease to function as the ex-officio Chairman of the Council.
Mr. Chitta Ranjan Behera in his paper suggested that the council need be headed by a Retired Judge of the High Court in view of the need for maintaining impartiality in it's functioning apart from the consideration of stability of tenure.
Mr. Mrunal of CHRI, New Delhi had informed that in Delhi, the Chief Minister herself being the Chairperson s of the State Council for Right to Information made a lot of difference to the implementation of the Act. Both the officials and people in Delhi take the RTI Act more seriously than what it would have been otherwise. While conceding the merit of Mr.Mrunal's point of view the consensus of the participants was in favour of having a Retired Judge as the Chairman of the Council on the grounds of both impartiality of office and stability of tenure.
Mr. Biswa Ranjan Behera of SODA, Baripada had pointed out that the Draft Bill does not provide for any woman member to be taken into the State Council and suggested 40% of the membership of the council to comprise women.
Mr. Chitta Ranjan Behera in his paper suggested that at least one member of the State Council should be a woman to start with.