RTI activists urge Governor to reject recommendations for appointment of information commissioners

Thiruvananthapuram: The RTI Kerala Federation today urged the Governor not to accept the recommendations made by the selection committee chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for appointment of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and State Information Commissioners (SICs) in the State.

Alleging irregularities in the selection and appointment to the posts, Federation president D. B. Binu and secretary A. Jayakumar said in a representation to the Governor that the recommendations were made in violation of the RTI Act and orders of the Supreme Court.

“We are compelled to make this representation before your good office for an immediate intervention and action in the backdrop of media reports of political favoritism shown by the Government for the appointment of CIC and SIC’s.  This is a matter of serious concern since the Leader of Opposition who is one of the members of the Selection Committee has also given a dissenting note for the recommendations made by the State Government.

“The selection procedure adopted the State Government flouts all the directions issued by the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Kerala in this regard. Only persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in all the fields mentioned in Sections 12(5) and 15(5) of the RTI Act under 12(3) and 15(3) of the RTI Act should be considered for appointment as Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioners.”

The High Court of Kerala while considering these allegations had directed the State Government to complete the process of appointment to the vacant post of State Information Commissioner as per the established procedure enunciated by the  Supreme Courtin Namit Sharma’s case (reported in 2013 (1) SCC 745 and 2013 (10) SCC 359).

They said that the ‘institutional integrity’ of the Office of the Information Commissioners should be kept in mind while appointment are made to the post of CIC and SIC’s. The Supreme Court had laid down this principle in the matter of appointment to the post of CVC’s in Centre. In a similar case, the High Court of Gujarat had struck down the appointment of SIC’s for not following the directives of the Supreme Court of India in this regard.

They urged that the best suitable persons of proven integrity may be appointed to a post of paramount importance in our polity. This would ensure to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.