RTI/RTS commissioners appointed as per rules, Haryana govt writes to governor

Times of India: Chandigarh: Tuesday, 23 September 2014.

Claiming that commissioners for right to information commission and right to service commission were appointed as per rules, Haryana government has submitted a report to governor Kaptan Singh Solanki.

The government recently informed the Raj Bhawan that the appointments were made after necessary approval from the governor. However, sources said that the government is silent on some of the crucial aspects related to the issue.

Amid controversy over the appointments, Solanki on August 1 had sought a report from Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government. Hooda had administered oath to five commissioners hurriedly at his official residence on July 27 despite secretary of administrative reforms department Pradeep Kasni refusing to issue appointment letters to the new appointees, raising various objections on the process. Even after Solanki taking oath on the same day, Hooda had administered oath to them on the basis of authorization by outgoing governor Jagannath Pahadia.

On the basis of same authorization from Pahadia, Hooda on August 1 administered oath to the outgoing chief secretary S C Choudhary as chief commissioner of right to service commission.

"The government has not explained why no permission was sought from the new governor to administer oath to the chief commissioner of right to service commission even after five days tenure of Solanki. The oath to the commissioners was administered despite Pahadia not mentioning on file specifically about their appointment orders. But the government did not explain this point also," sources said.

When contacted for comments, chief secretary Shakuntla Jakhu just said they have sent the report to governor. Hooda has been claiming that the commissions had not been constituted in a hurry and that all members had been appointed in keeping with the constitutional norms.