The Hindu:
New Delhi: Friday, 06 March 2020.
Understaffed
Information Commission has been headless for two months; CVC appointment yet to
be notified.
The
next Chief Information Commissioner, Bimal Julka, will be sworn in by President
Ram Nath Kovind on Friday morning, more than two weeks after he was chosen by a
high-level selection panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
However,
the appointment of Sanjay Kothari as Chief Vigilance Commissioner, which had
been decided by the panel at the same meeting on February 18, is yet to be
notified.
Scrap
Sanjay Kothari appointment as CVC as process is vitiated, says Congress
The
Hindu reported on March 3 that the official notification of both appointments
had been delayed because of a delay in the process of finding a replacement for
Mr. Kothari, who is currently secretary to the President. The Congress has also
objected to Mr. Kothari’s appointment, claiming that it violates procedure, and
is mulling possible legal action.
The
delay is particularly critical at the Central Information Commission, which has
been headless since its previous chief Sudhir Bhargava retired almost two
months ago. In fact, Mr. Julka’s term will last less than six months, as he is
due to retire in August.
Many
cases pending
The
CIC, which is the final appeal body under the Right to Information Act, is
chronically understaffed, with five vacancies in its 11-member body, including
four positions that have not been filled in more than two years. The failure to
appoint Commissioners hampers the process of clearing RTI complaints and
appeals, resulting in more than 35,000 pending cases.
RTI
activists have also noted that the Centre has failed to follow the Supreme
Court’s directions with regard to CIC appointments, as it has not made public
information on the applicants and short-listed candidates.
.JPG)
.JPG)
