Team Herald
PANJIM: BJP Goa president Sadanand Shet Tanavade on Wednesday defended appointment of Atmaram Barve, who was Officer on Special Duty (OSD)-II to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, as the State Information Commissioner.
Speaking to O Heraldo, Tanavade said, “Once appointed, Barve has resigned from all the posts. Former Goa Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar also became Governor. Arlekar was party president and party worker. Earlier he was MLA and Minister but once he was appointed as Governor, he resigned from the primary membership of the party. Atmaram Barve too is no more associated with the party.”
In spite of raging controversy over the appointment of new State Information Commissioner, the State government finally went ahead with appointment of the State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and the State Information Commissioner (SIC) on Tuesday.
Aravind Kumar H Nair and Atmaram Barve, who OSD to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, were administered oath of office by Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai.
The three-member selection committee had approved the names of former Goa Chief of Intelligence of Bureau, MHA and Chief Immigration Officer Aravind Kumar Nair and Atmaram Barve, for the two posts, which had fallen vacant since March this year.