PANJIM: With the position for the state chief information commissioner (CIC) and two for the state information commissioners (SICs) still lying vacant, activist Aires Rodrigues said the selection process “lacked transparency and is stage managed mere eyewash to accommodate persons with close links to the BJP to those plum positions.”
The procedure that calls for the biodata of all applicants to be uploaded on the government website for public scrutiny but the activist fears that like in the past, they would end up selecting wrong and under qualified persons.
“As mandated under the RTI act only persons of eminence in public life be selected for the positions,” he said demanding further that only the best and the brightest be selected for the crucial positions in a transparent manner.
Under Section 15 (3) of the RTI Act, the committee comprising of the chief minister, leader of the opposition and another minister should review all the applications and select persons strictly on merit with no lobbying or fixing whatsoever.
He also said that for the proper implementation of the Right to Information Act, it was crucial that the position of the SICs be given to independent minded people who would not succumb to the pressure of politicians in power.
