In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a) “Act” means the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act 22 of 2005) ;
(b) “appointed to the service”.- A person is said to be “appointed to the service” when, in accordance with these rules or in accordance with the rules applicable at the time, as the case may be, he discharges for the first time, the duties of a post borne on the cadre of the service or commences the probation prescribed for the members thereof;
(c) “approved probationer” means, a member of this service, who has satisfactorily completed hisprobation and awaits appointment as a full member of the service;
(d) “Chief Commissioner” means the State Chief Information Commissioner of the Tamil Nadu Information Commission;
(e) “Commission” means the TamilNadu Information Commission;
(f) “deputation” means a temporary transfer, or loan of the services of an officer or other employee,who is either a full member or an approved probationer, from the Commission to any office outside the Commission and vice versa;
(g) “discharge of a probationer” means, in case the probationer is a full member or an approved probationer of another service, class or category, reverting him to such service, class or category and in any other case, dispensing with his services;
(h) “duty” - A person is said to be ‘on duty’ as a member of the service,
(i)when he performs the duties of a post borne on the cadre of such service or is undergoing the probation; or
(ii) when he is on joining time; or
(iii) when he absents from duty during authorized holidays or on casual leave taken in accordance with the instruction regulating such leave issued by the Government, has been on duty immediately before and immediately after such absence;
(i) “full member” means a member whose service has been confirmed in the service in which he has been first appointed;
(j) “Government” means the Government of Tamil Nadu;
(k) “member of the service” means a person, who has been appointed to the service and who has not retired or resigned or been removed or dismissed and has not been substantively ransferred or reduced to another service or been discharged otherwise than for want of vacancy and may be a probationer, an approved probationer or a full member of the service;
(I) “post” means a post specified in Schedule I;
(m) “probationer” means a member of the service who has not completed his probation;
(n) “promotion” means the appointment of a member to a post in the service in the Commission on a higher scale of pay;
(o) “recruitment by transfer”.- A candidate is said to be ‘recruited by transfer’ to the service if, at the time of his first appointment thereto, he is either a full member or an approved probationer in the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service or the Tamil Nadu General Service or the Tamil Nadu Judicial Ministerial service or the Tamil Nadu General Subordinate Service or the Tamil Nadu Basic Service;
(p) “recruited direct”.- A candidate is said to be ‘recruited direct’ to the service when, at the time of his first appointment thereto, he is neither a full member nor an approved probationer in this or any other service;
(q) “Schedule” means Schedule appended to these Rules;
(r) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Information Commission;
(s) “Section” means section of the Act;
(t) words and expressions used but not defined in these rules shall have the meaning respectively assigned to them in the Act.
PART-II Composition and Conditions of service