Team Herald
PANJIM: After the 24-hour deadline given to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, to reverse the decision of appointing his OSD and BJP member Atmaram Barve as State Information Commissioner (SIC) ended, the Congress party on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, requesting the removal of Barve from the position immediately and to preserve sanctity of the institution of Goa State Information Commission and to uphold the principle of natural justice.
In a letter to the Governor, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) vice-president Sunil Kawthankar stated that the appointment of Barve, an active member of BJP and OSD to the Chief Minister was directly violating the stipulated criteria mentioned under sub clause 6 of Chapter IV in RTI Act, 2005, which expressly states that the SIC should not be “connected politically.”
Furthermore, the BJP State president and MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade had on his social media posted a photograph along with Barve, which sends a very wrong message to the general public. “We believe that Barve’s appointment violates the principles of impartiality and neutrality, as he is a political appointee with close ties to the ruling part. This raises serious apprehensions about the fairness and integrity of the position,” Kawthankar said.
Kawthankar has requested the Governor to review the appointment of Barve as SIC and to remove him from the position immediately and to ensure that future appointments are made with transparency and impartiality as per law.