PANJIM:
The cabinet on Friday approved the appointment of a Chief Information
Commissioner (CIC) and two State Information Commissioners (SICs). On August
31, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had announced the names of Prashant
Tendulkar as CIC and Pratima Vernekar and Juino D’Souza as SICs.
At
the post cabinet briefing, the Chief Minister said their appointment was
delayed due to several reasons including their character certificates and
police verification. “The names will now be recommended to Governor Mridula
Sinha, and we expect her nod in the next one week or so,” Parsekar said.
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The
names for the three posts were finalised by the three-member committee
consisting of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza and Leader
of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane.
Tendulkar
is the former additional president of the Goa State Administrative Tribunal,
South. Vernekar is senior public prosecutor, while D’Souza is a lawyer and a
social activist.
The
post of CIC has been vacant since January 2015, following the departure of
Leena Mehendale, while no SIC has been appointed since September 2012,
following the departure of Dr Pradeep Padwal.
Three
months ago, the High Court of Bombay at Goa had asked the government to reply
within two weeks as to when the Lokayukta, the SI and CIC would be appointed.
The
Chief Minister further said that he would now concentrate on the appointment of
Lokayukta, for which the process has already started. “I want to complete all
pending works, at the earliest,” he said.
