The Hindu: Kerala: Thursday,
April 21, 2016.
Governor P.
Sathasivam has endorsed the appointment of former Director General of Police
(DGP) Vinson M. Paul as the new Chief Information Commissioner of the Kerala
State Information Commission (SIC), the statutory body may remain crippled when
it comes to discharging its duties under the provisions of the Right to
Information Act 2005.
The Governor
has expressed reservations about endorsing the five candidates recommended by
the State government for filling the vacancies of five Information
Commissioners (ICs) in the KSIC. The Raj Bhavan has sought clarification on the
recommendation three times.
The
Governor’s objection is based on the contention that eligibility of the five
candidates recommended by the government does not comply with the eligibility
criteria for the appointment of ICs under the RTI Act. Moreover, while the
rules call for short-listing and recommending three names for each vacancy, the
government has sent the names of only one candidate for each vacancy.
The rules say
that persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in
law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism and
governance should be appointed as ICs. The rules also say that the candidates
shall not be connected with any political party.
VS opposes
shortlist
After
notification of the vacancies, the State government has received 269
applications. The applicants comprised retired IAS, IPS and top judicial
officers and other persons of eminence.
The
short-listing committee comprises Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of the
Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, and Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty.
But the State
government short-listed an LIC development officer who has been associated with
the Janata Dal (U), a retired primary school teacher who has served as Kerala
Pradesh Congress Committee secretary, a retired upper division clerk who has
served as a Public Service Commission member, and the secretary of a District
Congress Committee.
Mr.
Achuthanandan has strongly objected to the list. The politicians have resigned
their posts when they were shortlisted.
Though three
petitions were filed before the High Court against the list, the court said it
did not want to intervene in the appointments at this juncture. The Raj Bhavan
has received 30 complaints and when the Governor has asked for explanation, the
State government has sent a single collective reply for all the 30. But the
Governor insists on a reply each for each complaint.
Raj Bhavan
seeks clarification from State government following complaints about
eligibility.
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