THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Right to Information Act was a landmark legislation empowering citizens of the country to seek information on governance, but it seems the governments themselves violate the provisions of the Act to appoint someone who is close to the ruling dispensations. The government’s decision to appoint outgoing chief secretary Vishwas Mehta as the next chief information commissioner (CIC) of the state is a violation of Section 15 (6) of the Act which stipulates that a person who holds any other office of profit or pursuing any profession should not be considered for the post.
Interestingly, the then Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan had struck a dissenting note pointing out the procedural violation in the appointment of the first CIC in 2005 during the Oommen Chandy government’s term. As per Section 15 (3) of the Act, a committee headed by the chief minister, leader of the Opposition in the assembly and a cabinet minister nominated by the chief minister has to select the CIC.
In 2005, the committee headed by then chief minister Chandy and comprising cabinet minister Vakkom Purushothaman decided to appoint then chief secretary Palat Mohandas as the CIC on October 21, 2005, when he was to retire from service on October 28. Later, he was appointed the CIC overriding Achuthanandan’s objection.
In 2011, when the committee, headed by then chief minister Achuthanandan and comprising home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Opposition leader Chandy, decided to appoint Siby Mathews as CIC, he was told to take voluntary retirement from service before taking charge.Vinson M Paul was named the CIC in 2016 by the committee comprising then chief minister Chandy, industry minister P K Kunhalikutty and Opposition leader Achuthanandan after his retirement from service. But Paul’s name was recommended with a dissent note from Achuthanandan as his appointment was considered as a reward for helping the then UDF government in the bar bribery case.
A senior IPS officer said, “It’s a known fact in the power circles that most of these appointments are being made as a reward for the services the person concerned has provided to the government of the day. In this case as well, it’s a reward for many services.”
Chennithala expresses his dissent
Kozhikode: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has written to Chief Minister expressing his dissent in appointing outgoing Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta as next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). Chennithala pointed out that he had a different opinion about Mehta. “I had earlier approached Vigilance against Mehta’s inappropriate intervention in bringing some foreign consultancy companies in water resources projects,” Chennithala said. “Though I had participated in the online meeting which selected Vishwas Mehta as CIC, I was unable to comprehend things properly due to patchy network. The selection of CIC is not unanimous. I am against the selection of Mehta,” the opposition leader clarified.
stands in violation of RTI act
Section 15 (6) of the RTI Act stipulates that a person who holds any other office of profit or pursuing any profession should not be considered for the post of CIC