The Times of India:Friday, February 03, 2012.
The government's move to project itself as champion of RTI Act by appointing an unexpected eight information commissioners has backfired with protests against the appointments gaining momentum on Thursday. More than 50 civil society organizations joined hands on this issue.
The members of the organizations as well as individual RTI activists are now up in arms and are calling the appointments illegal.
"It is a blatant violation of the RTI Act as most of the candidates selected for the key roles have direct political affiliation," said Chelikani Rao of Federation of AP Senior Citizens Organizations (FAPSCO). He also expressed his unhappiness over the manner in which the selection process was done.
Activists are planning to intensify protests by involving organizations from across the state if the government does not agree to their demand that the appointments be reconsidered.
Activists are mainly against the appointment of five commissioners -- L Tantia Kumari, M Vijaya Nirmala, V Venkateswarlu, M Ratan and Imtiyaz Ahmad whose background violates the spirit of the RTI Act.
"It is surprising that even leader of the opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has endorsed the appointments. It is nothing but sharing of spoils by political parties," Chelikani Rao said.
M Padmanabha Reddy, secretary, Forum For Good Governance, said the appointment of M Ratan, an IPS officer who is still serving in the vigilance and enforcement department, is a clear violation as under the Act anyone holding an office of profit cannot be considered for such a role.
Activists now plan to meet the chief minister and the governor in this regard to put pressure on them to revise the list and threaten to launch protests, and even plan legal action if the government fails to relent.
S Srinivass Reddy of APSA (Association of Promotion of Social Activities) said, "We are garnering support from across the state and are expecting 150 more civil society organizations to join the cause. We will take this campaign to the public and also involve them."
Activists plan to run signature campaigns, satyagraha movements, protest meets, cultural protests and have also decided not to cooperate with the newly-appointed commissioners by not attending any future meetings of the commission.
V Lakshmana Reddy of Jana Chaitanya Vedika further informed that they were planning to knock on the doors of Central Information Commission, Delhi on the matter and also meet national-level representatives of political parties to get their support.
The members of the organizations as well as individual RTI activists are now up in arms and are calling the appointments illegal.
"It is a blatant violation of the RTI Act as most of the candidates selected for the key roles have direct political affiliation," said Chelikani Rao of Federation of AP Senior Citizens Organizations (FAPSCO). He also expressed his unhappiness over the manner in which the selection process was done.
Activists are planning to intensify protests by involving organizations from across the state if the government does not agree to their demand that the appointments be reconsidered.
Activists are mainly against the appointment of five commissioners -- L Tantia Kumari, M Vijaya Nirmala, V Venkateswarlu, M Ratan and Imtiyaz Ahmad whose background violates the spirit of the RTI Act.
"It is surprising that even leader of the opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has endorsed the appointments. It is nothing but sharing of spoils by political parties," Chelikani Rao said.
M Padmanabha Reddy, secretary, Forum For Good Governance, said the appointment of M Ratan, an IPS officer who is still serving in the vigilance and enforcement department, is a clear violation as under the Act anyone holding an office of profit cannot be considered for such a role.
Activists now plan to meet the chief minister and the governor in this regard to put pressure on them to revise the list and threaten to launch protests, and even plan legal action if the government fails to relent.
S Srinivass Reddy of APSA (Association of Promotion of Social Activities) said, "We are garnering support from across the state and are expecting 150 more civil society organizations to join the cause. We will take this campaign to the public and also involve them."
Activists plan to run signature campaigns, satyagraha movements, protest meets, cultural protests and have also decided not to cooperate with the newly-appointed commissioners by not attending any future meetings of the commission.
V Lakshmana Reddy of Jana Chaitanya Vedika further informed that they were planning to knock on the doors of Central Information Commission, Delhi on the matter and also meet national-level representatives of political parties to get their support.
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