RTI activists see red in info commissioners' appointment

RTI activists see red in info commissioners' appointment
Wednesday, 03.02.2011, (GMT+5.5)


Chennai: RTI activists are angry with the state government for having appointed three commissioners to the Tamil Nadu Information Commission just before the model code of conduct came into force, with zero transparency.


The government announced the appointments on Tuesday, hours before the election commission announced the poll date. Already, the appointment of former chief secretary KS Sripathi as the chief information commissioner is in a legal tangle after RTI activists alleging that there was no transperancy in the appointment process.


The appointment of Dr PA Ramiah, C Manoharan and Arumuga Nainar as the new information commissioners in the existing vacancy on Monday came as a surprise to many RTI groups and activists who have been urging the government to maintain transparency.


"Section 15 of RTI Act says any person 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 is eligible to apply for the post. We have been asking the government to issue newspaper advertisements calling for applications, shortlist the names and then go for selection. We want the government to clarify how the three commissioners came to know of filling up of the vacancies and applied for it,'' said V Gopalakrishnan, an RTI activist who was arrested for staging a demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan demanding transperancy in the appointment of chief information commissioner KS Sripathi in September last.


"Information commission is the place from where transparency should begin, but it is unfortunate that the appointments to such a commission is being made in a secret manner. This reduces the appointments to political in the eyes of the public. We, along with several other RTI groups, will convene a meeting this week to oppose this,'' said G Balaji of Public Awareness Campaign Energy Trust, Thirumangalam.


While the selection committee includes the chief minister, Opposition leader and a minister deputed by the chief minister, the decision of appointing the three commissioners was taken by chief minister M Karunanidhi and finance minister K Anbazhagan, in the absence of Opposition leader J Jayalalithaa.


"We don't question the government prerogative in selecting the commissioners, but want to point out that a proper interpretation of Section 15 of RTI Act can only be taken as there must be unanimity in the selection committee in the appointments and there is no question of majority opinion in it. When there are only three persons in a committee and two of them belong to the ruling party, it can only be the decision of the ruling party,'' said Anti-Corruption Movement state general secretary SM Arasu.