CIC asks Kiran for more hands

Deccan Chronicle; Wed, Dec 22, 2010,

Dec. 21: The Chief Information Commissioner, Mr Jannath Hussain, called on the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, on Tuesday evening and pleaded the latter for appointing more Information Commissioners as the filing of appeals before the Right to Information (RTI) Commission were increasing by leaps and bounds every year.

During YSR’s regime, the Chief Information Commissioner and three Information Commissioners were appointed against the permissible 10 Commissioners. In the last five years, since the implementation of the new Act came into being, second appeals preferred before the State Information Commission have increased many fold.

Mr Jannath Hussain requested the CM to consider appointing five more Commissioners keeping in mind the increased appeals.

It may be mentioned that the State Information Commission became virtually a one-man Commission with the CIC heading it as the other three Commissioners have resigned following the completion of their five-year tenure on November 16.

As per the rules, the CM and the Opposition leader of Assembly and another senior minister nominated by the CM will form the selection committee to appoint the Commissioners. However, since the change of guard took place last month, new Chief Minister, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, has been busy with other activities and no meeting has taken place so far for selection of the new commissioners.

The CM assured Mr Hussain that he would constitute the selection committee shortly and appoint new commissioners.