Mumbai, April 28 -- The Maharashtra government has introduced age-, education- and experience-based norms for selection of the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioners, following a high level committee meeting last week to finalise terms and conditions for advertisements for the posts. A government resolution (GR) to this effect was issued on Monday, marking a change in selection policy as there were no conditions regarding age, education and experience till now. During the meeting of the high level committee on April 24 to finalise terms and conditions for advertisements for the posts, a decision was taken to fix the eligibility criteria, officials said. Accordingly, as per the GR issued on Monday, applicants for the posts must be persons of eminence in public life as per RTI Act, 2005. They must possess knowledge in one or more of the following fields: law, governance, journalism, social service, science and technology, or management. They must be aged at least 45 years and not more than 63 years as per the date of application, and have at least 20 years of experience in one or more fields for the State Chief Information Commissioner's post, and 15 years in one or more fields for State Information Commissioner posts. Preference would be given to those with experience in senior positions in government, semi-government, autonomous bodies, public sector, reputed private sector, or social/charitable organisations, the GR said. RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said while the RTI Act was already on its deathbed, the state government had dealt another blow to the law. "The new rules introduced by the state government have not only raised serious legal concerns but have also reopened the door for bureaucratic appointments to these posts," Kumbhar said....