Published On : Thu, May 7th, 2015

Frame rules for selection of Information Commissioners including Nagpur’s P W Patil , MAT tells state govt

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Nagpur: Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal while passing strictures on process of appointing information commissioners, had asked the state government to frame rules for selection of State Chief Information Commissioner and information commissioners within eight weeks

Ahmednagar resident John Kharat and also an applicant for the post of information commissioner, had approached the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT), challenging the selection of the State Chief Information Commissioner as well as Information Commissioners PW Patil (Nagpur), DB Deshpande (Aurangabad) and MS Shah (Nashik) in 2010. He has received a shot in the arm, with the MAT coming hard on the haphazard and secretive manner in the selection of these crucial posts.

The MAT order dated 16 April 2015 has directed the chief secretary of Maharashtra to frame Rules for the selection of the post of State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and Information Commissioners (ICs) within eight weeks of the order. Besides, it has made some strong observations of the prejudiced and casual manner in which the High Powered Committee which is responsible for selecting information commissioners, functions.

“It is indeed a slap in the face of the bureaucracy,’’ says Right to Information (RTI) activist, said Vijay Kumbhar who is fighting a case in the High Court for the same reason of lack of transparency in the appointment of ICs.