Times of India: Jabalpur: Sunday,
1 September 2024.
MP high court has issued a
notice to the state govt regarding the appointment against vacant posts of
state information commissioners and sought a reply within three weeks.
The Madhya Pradesh state information commission has 10 sanctioned posts for information commissioners, but all positions are vacant.
Advocate Vishal Baghel filed a petition in the high court stating that he had submitted an online application under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to the ministry of health at Vallabh Bhavan. In this application, he requested a copy of the probe report conducted by the divisional commissioner's committee regarding the New Life Hospital fire incident in Jabalpur.
The ministry, however, did not provide any information, prompting him to file a first appeal under the Act to a senior officer. However, the authorities did not hear the first appeal either, leading him to file a second appeal with the state information commission on Sept 21, 2023.
Almost a year has passed but Baghel’s appeal remains unresolved, despite the MP Right to Information Fee and Appeal Rules mandating that the second appeal be resolved within 180 days.
Baghel said that his appeal is not being resolved as the post of commissioners in MP state information commission is vacant. The commission has been non-functional for the past five months due to the absence of any information commissioners. HC has issued a notice to the state govt, directing them to present a response within three weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept 23.
The MP state information commission has 10 sanctioned posts for information commissioners, but all positions are vacant following the retirement of the appointed commissioners. The general administration department has issued advertisements three times in the past three years inviting applications for these posts, but no appointments have been made. According to RTI Act, the appointment of state information commissioners is made by a committee headed by CM, which includes LOP and another cabinet minister nominated by the CM.
The Madhya Pradesh state information commission has 10 sanctioned posts for information commissioners, but all positions are vacant.
Advocate Vishal Baghel filed a petition in the high court stating that he had submitted an online application under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to the ministry of health at Vallabh Bhavan. In this application, he requested a copy of the probe report conducted by the divisional commissioner's committee regarding the New Life Hospital fire incident in Jabalpur.
The ministry, however, did not provide any information, prompting him to file a first appeal under the Act to a senior officer. However, the authorities did not hear the first appeal either, leading him to file a second appeal with the state information commission on Sept 21, 2023.
Almost a year has passed but Baghel’s appeal remains unresolved, despite the MP Right to Information Fee and Appeal Rules mandating that the second appeal be resolved within 180 days.
Baghel said that his appeal is not being resolved as the post of commissioners in MP state information commission is vacant. The commission has been non-functional for the past five months due to the absence of any information commissioners. HC has issued a notice to the state govt, directing them to present a response within three weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept 23.
The MP state information commission has 10 sanctioned posts for information commissioners, but all positions are vacant following the retirement of the appointed commissioners. The general administration department has issued advertisements three times in the past three years inviting applications for these posts, but no appointments have been made. According to RTI Act, the appointment of state information commissioners is made by a committee headed by CM, which includes LOP and another cabinet minister nominated by the CM.
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