Transparent SIC Appointment: Letter to Gov & CM with 52 signatures despatched

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Krishnaraj Rao

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May 11, 2012, 6:31:07 AM5/11/12
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11th May, 2012

 

To

Shri K Sankaranarayan,

Governor of Maharashtra,

Raj Bhavan,  Malabar Hill, Mumbai – 400035.

 

Copy to Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

 

Ensure Transparent Selections of State Information Commissioners

as per Supreme Court Directions

 

Sir,

 

The nation is taking significant strides towards transparent appointment of Information Commissioners. We draw your attention to three recent happenings:

 

  • March 3, 2011: Supreme Court, annulling the appointment of Shri P J Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner, gave 10 directions for transparent selection to such posts. These  are shown in the right margin in Red Roman Numerals in this copy of the judgment to WP 348 & 355 of 2010: http://tinyurl.com/SC-sacks-CVC1

 

 

  • April 20, 2012: Supreme Court noted that State Information Commissioners are selected non-transparently. While issuing notice to the respondents in the Special Leave Petition no. 12830 of 2012, the court asked, “Whether selection of appointment of State Information Commissioners can be made without adopting a transparent and fair method of selection in which all eligible persons can participate for appointment to such post/office can be treated as private affair of a particular political set up.” It added, “Any appointment made hereinafter shall remain subject to final adjudication of the special leave petitions”. See http://tinyurl.com/SC-Interim-transparent-SIC-sel

 

Sir, we urge you, in your capacity as the appointing authority, to prevail on Government of Maharashtra to invite applications so that “all eligible persons can participate in the appointment”. Section 15(5) of the RTI Act states, “The State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance”. This includes civil society.

 

So far, nobody outside the inner circles of Mantralaya knows when this selection will be made. The selection procedure detailed in Section 15 is generally bypassed; the selection happens earlier, and the three-person committee specified in Section 15(3) is only used as a rubber-stamp. This makes it a political appointment based on nepotism rather than merit.

 

Sir, the job of an Information Commissioner is a demanding one. Every Information Commissioner is required to hear an average of 10 or more cases per day, and dictate orders, issue notices etc to maintain such a workflow over his five-year tenure. It is not a cushy reward posting or a post-retirement benefit for a retiring bureaucrat or a political crony.

 

PRESENT STATE OF MAHARASHTRA INFORMATION COMMISSION:

 

Sir, our beloved state today has four information commissioners and four vacant benches.

 

  • SIC BHASKAR PATIL, who is State Information Commissioner of Amravati, is the acting Chief Information Commissioner. He also handles additional charge of the Greater Mumbai bench.

 

  • SIC DB DESHPANDE of Aurangabad bench is handling additional charge of Pune bench.

 

  • SIC MH SHAH of Nashik bench is handling additional charge of Konkan bench, which is in Navi Mumbai.

 

  • SIC PW PATIL of Nagpur bench is the only one who is not saddled with an additional charge.

 

Every two weeks, the SICs handling additional charge travel and hold hearings for two days in the vacant benches. Needless to say, they are not able to do justice to this job, and therefore, pendencies are rising alarmingly.

 

These four vacancies have arisen over the past 14 months, and, despite repeated reminders from various citizens, the government has not taken timely action to fill them up. As a result, the numbers of pending cases are currently estimated around 30,000, and rising by about 2000 cases every month. This means that even after the vacancies are filled up, cases will be heard only after 18 to 24 months of filing them. Such a long queue defeats the RTI Act’s objectives of providing timely information within a couple of months. To reduce the mounting pendency, please urge the state government to appoint the full strength of Information Commissioners i.e. 10 SICs plus one Chief SIC as per Section 15(2)(b).

 

MAHARASHTRA GOVT’S LATEST GR – A CAUTIONARY NOTE:

 

In order to appoint a State Information Commissioner in the place of Shri Ramanand Tiwari who is under suspension, the State government has issued this GR: http://tinyurl.com/Maha-GR-post-of-Addl-SIC

 

The GR says that, using powers under Section 16(6) of RTI Act, the state govt has created an “additional post” of SIC for better implementation of the RTI Act. While understanding that this GR is a quick-fix to get around administrative difficulties posed by Shri Tiwari, we fear that this GR may set a dangerous precedent by enabling the government to select a “temporary” candidate, bypassing the selection procedures and service conditions outlined in section 15 and 16. Sir, Section 16(6) is for providing assistants to an Information Commissioner or Chief Information Commissioner; in what way does it empower the state government to create a new post of information commissioner?

 

IN SUM, KINDLY ENSURE THAT…

 

1)      Information Commissioners will be appointed at the earliest, but without shortcuts.

 

2)      A circular will be issued by the State Govt inviting applications from civil society also, similar to the Central Government circular.

 

3)      The principles of transparent appointment laid down by the Supreme Court judgment (WP 348 & 355 of 2010) will be scrupulously followed.

 

4)      The selection process will address the specific concerns raised by the Supreme Court in SLP no. 12830 of 2012 interim order.

 

5)      Full strength of State Information Commission (10+1 commissioners) will be appointed, in order to rein in the alarming rise of pending cases, and provide relief to the common man through speedy disposal of cases within a month or two.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

G R Vora

Plot – 275 / 3, Gope Nivas, Sion E, Mumbai – 400022.

Pathologist and RTI activist. /  grv...@gmail.com /  Cell :   09869195785

 

Including the below-mentioned signatories :--

 

1.       Mr Mohammed Afzal, RTI activist, mohdaf...@gmail.com.

2.      Dr Yeshwant T Oke, Sahar Road, Mumbai – 49, Retd. Medical Consultant, Cell : 9769749859, yeshw...@yahoo.com.

3.      Mr Krishnaraj Rao, Journalist & RTI activist, Borivali E, Mumbai 66, krish....@gmail.com, Cell : 9821588114.

4.      Ms Silloo Marker, Retired, Dadar E, Mumbai – 14,  Cell: 9819406399, silloo...@hotmail.com.

5.      Ms Cynthia Fernandes, Bandra W, Mumbai 50, Social worker, cynthia...@hotmail.com, Cell : 9867075044.

6.      Advocate Vinod Sampat, Legal Practitioner, Ghatkopar, Mumbai – 77, Cell: 9324038095.

7.      Mr Anil Galgali,  RTI activist, Sakinaka, Mumbai – 72, Cell: 9820130074, galga...@gmail.com

8.      Mr Vishal Kudchadkar, Los Angeles, USA, Software Engineer, vis...@gmail.com, Ph – 3236326479.

9.      Ms Ainee Nizami, Journalist, Goregaon W, Mumbai, ainee...@gmail.com, Cell : 9769226967.

10.  Mr Raymond B. Barboza,  Chembur, Mumbai 89, barboza...@gmail.com, Cell : 9969083680.

11.  Mr Bhupendra Singh, Busunessman, Kandivali, Mumbai, bhupendr...@gmail.com, Cell:  8080084588.

12.  Mr Ramesh Vawswani, Marine Drive, Mumbai 2, Retired, ramesh...@hotmail.com, Cell : 9867573341.

13.  Mr Anand Desai, Psychologist, Juhu, Mumbai, a_y_...@hotmail.com, Cell : 9820602715.

14.  Mr Samad Shaikh, Khar W, Mumbai 52, Manager (Finance), shaikh...@yahoo.com, Cell : 9004699593.

15.  Mr Manish Modi, Vile Parle, Mumbai, Businessman, mmo...@gmail.com, Cell: 9821438180.

16.  Mr Ameet Israni, Andheri W, Mumbai, Businessman, ameti...@hotmail.com, Cell: 9867358355.

17.  Mr Bhushan P Malgaonkar, Advocacy, Wadala E, Mumbai 37, bhushan_m...@yahoo.com.

18.  Ms Hema Sampat, Kalbadevi, Mumbai, Social worker, hemas...@gmail.com, Cell: 9820508140.

19.  Mr Raju Dudam, Pratiksha Nagar, Sion E, Mumbai 22, IT Professional, raju....@gmail.com, Cell: 9773032020.

20.  Mr Kumar Pravesh, Juhu, Mumbai, Media Professional, Cell: 9820445513.

21.  Mr Adrian Almeida, Kandivali, Mumbai, Businessman, adrian_...@hotmail.com, Cell: 9820033465.

22.  Mr Suresh V Kamat, Thane, Maharashtra, Retd. Finance Professional, svk...@yahoo.com,  Cell : 9821779378.

23.  Ms Mani Patel, Bandra W, Mumbai 50, Secretary,  pate...@hotmail.com, Cell: 9819204636.

24.  Mr Santosh Shukla, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Shipping Industry, Cell : 9619778122.

25.  Mr Rajiv Patel,  RTE activist, Engineer, Santacruz, Mumbai, rpatel...@gmail.com, Cell: 9869443365.

26.  Mr E A S Sarma,  Ex-Secy. GoI, Vishakhapatnam, Pin-530002, eass...@gmail.com, Cell : 9866021646.

27.  Mr Prashant Uikey, IT Professional, Mumbai, prashan...@gmail.com.

28.  Mr Kisan Mehta, Ex-Corporator and Environmentalist, Mumbai, kisa...@gmail.com.

29.  Dr D N Verma, Navi Mumbai, TIFR Scientist, dnv...@math.tifr.res.in, Cell: 9869485455.

30.  Mr Gopal C Mehta, Management Consultant, gopal...@glorimexind.com, Cell : 9820141178.

31.  Mr Samir Pradhan,  Polymer Technologist, Gulmohar, Thane, Cell: 9004593784.

32.  Mr Sharad Phadke, Retired, Karve Naar, Pune, sharad...@gmail.com, Cell: 9881129521.

33.  Dr S V Bharucha, Veterinarian, Matunga, Mumbai, simi...@gmail.com, Cell: 9821679555.

34.  Mr Jeetendra Ghadge, Activist, Girgaon, Mumbai – 4, Cell: 973119544.

35.  Mr Venkatesh Nayak, RTI advocator, Hauz Rani, New Delhi – 110017, nayak.v...@gmail.com, Ph. 011-43180215.

36.  Mr Duggirala Pawan, Bhivandi, Maharashtra – 421302, Merchant Navi Officer, pawanr...@gmail.com, Cell: 9969842729.

37.  Mr Vivek M Mhatre, Civil Engineer, Nallasopara E, Thane – 401209, vivek...@gmail.com, Cell : 7208853593.

38.  Ms Vidya Vaidya, Bandra Reclamation, Mumbai 50,  Civic activist, vidya...@gmail.com, Cell: 9820020437.

39.  Mr Utsal Karani, Juhu Scheme, Mumbai 56, Activist & Hon. Secy – NGO Janhit Manch, janhi...@gmail.com, Cell: 9324991030.

40.  Mr Rajendra K Thacker, Investment Consultant, Borivali W, Mumbai 92, rjtha...@gmail.com, Cell :  9223327838.

41.  Mr M B Pardeshi, Chandivali, Mumbai – 72, Retired, madansing...@yahoo.com, Cell: 9969457452.

42.  Mr Siddharth Khandelwal,  Sikh Mohalla, Indore,  Govt. Contractor, netnuts...@gmail.com,  Cell: 9754031356.

43.  Mr Navin Pandya, Malad, Mumbai,  RTI activist, Cell :  9322523011, proactive...@hotmail.com.

44.  Mr Pradip Pradhan, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, Social activist, pradipp...@gmail.com,  Cell: 09937843482.

45.  Mr Raja J Bunch, Borivali W, Mumbai, Self employed, bunch...@yahoo.co.in, Cell: 9969972283.

46.  Mr Rustom R Dalal, Chartered Accountant, Grant Road, Mumbai, rrpd...@hotmail.com,  Cell: 09820132990.

47.  Mr Manish Gala, Mulund W, Mumbai, Businessman, minal_...@yahoo.co.in, Cell :  09322266166.

48.  Advo. Rina Kamath, Legal Practitioner,Colaba, Mumbai 5, rinak...@gmail.com, Cell: 09820235034.

49.  Mr Kanwarjit Singh, Juhu, Mumbai, Retired, goodolsi...@gmail.com, Cell : 09833062713.

50.  Mr C R Ramakrishnan, Mulund, Mumbai, Social activist,  ram1...@yahoo.com, Cell: 09987767793.

51.  Mr Mukund More, RTI activist, Goregaon W, Mumbai 62, mukund...@gmail.com, Cell: 9004129969.

52.  Mr Narayan Verma, RTI activist, Mumbai, narayanv...@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Enclosures:

a)      Supreme Court judgment to WP 348 & 355 of 2010 (marked copy)

b)      Supreme Court interim order to Special Leave Petition no. 12830 of 2012 (marked copy)

c)      Govt of India circular F.No.4/26/2009-IR

d)     Govt of Maharashtra circular no RaMaAa 2011/Pra. Kra. 244/Six

 

 

C.C. :--   Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister, Mantralaya, 6th Floor, Mumbai – 400032.

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