Vijayawada: RTI activists red flag info chiefs appointment

Vijayawada: RTI activists have been objecting to political appointments of RTI Commissioners. It has been learnt from several reports that the state government has proposed the names of Ilapuram Raja, and Eerla Srirammurthy, leader, VRO Association and former personal secretary to minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao for the posts of State Information Commissioners for Andhra Pradesh State Information Commission.

Representatives  of United Forum for Right to Information Campaign – AP (UFRTI-AP)’, a confederation of civil society organisations and individuals working on the issues of RTI Act in Andhra Pradesh since 2007, wrote to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, objecting to these appointments.

 “Many objections have already been raised by the RTI activists, civil society and intellectuals on their proposed appointments in the recent past. But the TD government did not take any of those into consideration and has been pushing for appointing two of its party member s/sympathisers as the State Information Commissioners just before the election results are due. It amounts to violation of Constitutional spirit and various judgments delivered by the  Supreme Court and various High Courts from time to time,” said UFRTI-AP co-convener Chakradhar Budha.

He added that Section 15, Sub-Section 5 and 6 of the RTI Act 2005, clearly stipulates that the process needs to be adopted in appointing the information commissioners.

Similarly, the SC of India has stated that the Information Commissioner’s choice should follow independent process, the same as followed for the recruitment of the Election Commissioners.

“By pushing for their appointments, the State government has compromised heavily on transparency and the precedents set out by the law. We wish to remind you that the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, has cancelled the appointment of four information commissioners on the pretext of them being associates of the political parties in the combined AP in the recent past. Taking these issues in to consideration, we request you to stall the appointments of Ilapuram Raja, and Eerla Srirammurthy as Information Commissioners and redirect the government to follow the process according to the law,” Mr Chakradhar said in letter to the Governor.