Wajahat Habibullah

Who is Wajahat Habibullah?

Wajahat Habibullah is the chairperson of the National commission on minorities and was the Ex Chief Information Commissioner of the Government of India since October 26, 2005. He was an officer of the Indian Administrative Service from 1968 until his retirement in August 2005. Before his retirement and his subsequent appointment by the President as the Chief Information Commissioner, he was Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. He has been appointed as new head of minorities commission.

He was divisional commissioner of nine districts in the state of Jammu and Kashmir between 1991 and 1993, which was abruptly terminated by a near fatal road accident, while negotiating with militants occupying the Hazratbal shrine in Kashmir. He resigns on October 20, 2009, from the post of Chief Information Commissioner to take up his new assignment as Right to Information watchdog in Jammu and Kashmir.

He also serves on the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Doha Center.