HERALD:
PANJIM: Tuesday, September 25, 2012
If
the Right to Information Act was intended to provide access to government
information, the 801 applications pending before the Goa State Information
Commission since July 2012, show that the purpose of the Act has been sorely
defeated, and that government is in no hurry to act.
Ideally,
a government eager to promote transparency and accountability in
administration has to appoint the new SIC before the retirement of the
incumbent, activists opined, but months after the retirement of the previous
incumbent Motilal Kenny, the post of State Information Commissioner lies vacant
causing tremendous hardships to information seekers.
The
controversies surrounding the appointment of new SIC have been the main reason
for non-filling of the post. Out of 27 applicants who had applied for the post
of SIC, a committee headed by then Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava
shortlisted three names – former secretary for civil supplies IAS D C Sahoo,
former Director of Goa AIDS Control Society Dr Pradeep Padwal and former
Chairman of Goa Secondary and Higher Secondary Board Pandurang Nadkarni.
Nadkarni,
the first appointee gave in to sustained media and activists’ exposes regarding
his qualifications. Before Governor B V Wanchoo could approve his selection, he
opted out of the race citing personal reasons.
Dr
Padwal who was appointed next, after his name was recommended by the government
during the Monsoon Session to the governor, quit after the Supreme Court
recently passed a judgement stating that SICs should have judicial knowledge.
Besides,
not only was the competency of both candidates questioned, but even government
faltering on proper selection procedure became an issue.
With
a huge backlog of 418 appeals and 383 complaints, the RTI appellate work has
been affected severely. The number of complaints is increasing day by day,
hence, adding to the backlog.
Officials
from Directorate of Information and Publicity, which processes the appointment
of the commissioner, said they are yet to study the Supreme Court judgement.
“We
have not started the process to select (a new) information commissioner. The
entire process will be done afresh. We will have to study the Supreme Court
judgement first before deciding on anything,” Director Swapnil Naik, said.
Goa
RTI Forum’s President Nandini Sahai has questioned the wisdom of the government
in delaying the appointment of SIC.
“According
to a Supreme Court directive, the government should appoint a successor to the
SIC post before the retirement of the sitting commissioner. But the Goa
government did not follow this,” she said.