The New Indian Express: Hyderabad: Thursday, 22 June 2023.
The Chief Secretary claimed in her affidavit that the highest competent authority was actively considering the file pertaining to the appointment of the CIC and the ICs.
Affidavit by Chief Secretary on CIC ‘as vague as can be’
Describing the affidavit filed on behalf of the Chief Secretary ‘as vague as can be’, a bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday sought information from the Advocate General or the Additional Advocate General on the actions taken by the State government to appoint the Chief Information Commissioner and the Information Commissioners to the State Information Commission in accordance with the RTI Act of 2005.
The Chief Secretary claimed in her affidavit that the highest competent authority was actively considering the file pertaining to the appointment of the CIC and the ICs. The proposal’s submission date, recipient, and filing stage were not specified anywhere in the affidavit, the CJ said.
Counsel for the government told the court that members of the SIC frequently address the litigants’ complaints. To this, the CJ asked counsel who would rule on a litigant’s appeals if the IC and CIC were not present.
“On April 21, 2022, the CIC retired, and the last IC retired on February 24, 2023. Since the top positions are vacant, the State should inform us of the deadline for CIC and IC appointments,” the CJ said.
The bench was hearing the PIL filed by the Forum for Good Governance, represented by its secretary M Padmanabha Reddy.
The petition claimed that since the retirements of the CIC and IC, the State has not taken any action to appoint the referenced individuals. There are several cases pending in the SIC, the petition said, and due to the vacancies, the complaints of the litigants are not being addressed, the petition said. The court will continue hearing the case on July 5.
The Chief Secretary claimed in her affidavit that the highest competent authority was actively considering the file pertaining to the appointment of the CIC and the ICs.
Affidavit by Chief Secretary on CIC ‘as vague as can be’
Describing the affidavit filed on behalf of the Chief Secretary ‘as vague as can be’, a bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday sought information from the Advocate General or the Additional Advocate General on the actions taken by the State government to appoint the Chief Information Commissioner and the Information Commissioners to the State Information Commission in accordance with the RTI Act of 2005.
The Chief Secretary claimed in her affidavit that the highest competent authority was actively considering the file pertaining to the appointment of the CIC and the ICs. The proposal’s submission date, recipient, and filing stage were not specified anywhere in the affidavit, the CJ said.
Counsel for the government told the court that members of the SIC frequently address the litigants’ complaints. To this, the CJ asked counsel who would rule on a litigant’s appeals if the IC and CIC were not present.
“On April 21, 2022, the CIC retired, and the last IC retired on February 24, 2023. Since the top positions are vacant, the State should inform us of the deadline for CIC and IC appointments,” the CJ said.
The bench was hearing the PIL filed by the Forum for Good Governance, represented by its secretary M Padmanabha Reddy.
The petition claimed that since the retirements of the CIC and IC, the State has not taken any action to appoint the referenced individuals. There are several cases pending in the SIC, the petition said, and due to the vacancies, the complaints of the litigants are not being addressed, the petition said. The court will continue hearing the case on July 5.
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