In Maharashtra
search is on of SIBS (Senior Indian Bureaucrats) for the post of State
Information Commissioners (SIC). In Maharashtra, it is now high time for appointments of information commissioners.
On 18th July, state information commissioner Bhaskar Patil who was initially appointed
on Amravati bench of state information commission and then transferred (?) to
Nagpur bench will retire. So there is
confusion about which post will be vacant Nagpur or Aurangabad? Already
there are three posts vacant and on 18th total four posts will become vacant.
As it is always
said that information commissions have become parking lot of retired bureaucrats.It will be interesting to see whether
government of Maharashtra fills all the vacant posts at time or waits for some
time for some bureaucrats to become senior citizens to fill some posts. Few
senior bureaucrats are about to retire in next few months. Some of them have
already applied for post of SIC.
Earlier due to
Supreme Courts judgement in most controversial Namit Sharma case, there was confusion
about appointment of information commissioners. However, when after review petition,
Supreme Court gave some relief and stay was granted on some points. but
following points remained as it is. Hence, it is mandatory for every government
to follow those. These points are
1) The
appointment of the Information Commissioners at both levels should be made from
amongst the persons empanelled by the DoPT in the case of Centre and the
concerned Ministry in the case of a State. The
panel has to be prepared upon due advertisement and on a rational basis as
afore-recorded.
2) The panel so
prepared by the DoPT or the concerned Ministry ought to be placed before the
High-powered Committee in terms of Section 12(3), for final recommendation to
the President of India. Needless to
repeat that the High Powered Committee at the Centre and The State levels are
expected to adopt a fair and transparent method of recommending the names for
appointment to the competent authority.
3) The selection process should be commenced
at least three months prior to the occurrence of vacancy
Government of
Maharashtra has followed none of them .No prior advertisement has been given
and hence question of preparing panel does not arise at all. What government of
Maharashtra has done is that, it has only prepared panel from the application
received directly without advertisement. Many of these application have
recommendations of MP', MLA's and Political parties. Let us see whoes
recomandation has more weightage? .
