Appointment of Information Commissioners: High Court orders status quo

Kochi: The High Court has ordered the government to maintain status quo regarding appointment of State Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioners for two weeks from Wednesday.

The Court gave this directive in a case filed by one of the aspirants for the post Somanathan Pillai seeking stay on making appointments based on the recommendations given by the Selection Committee headed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The petitioner sought that the appointments should be done through a proper selection procedure and in a transparent manner. The Government informed the Court that recommendations of the Committee were now before the Governor for approval.

The Court ordered notice to the Principal Secretary (General Administration), Selection Committee members P. K. Kunhalikutty and Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan besides Mr. Chandy and also to those recommended by the committee-- Vinson M. Paul, Ankathil Jayakumar, P. R. Devadas, Roys Chirayil, K. P. Adbdul Majeed and Eby Kuriakose.