Today was the last day to apply for the two advertised posts of Goa State Information Commissioners. A total of 47 candidates from various walks of life are now in the race for these plumb posts which carry a hefty salary and perks on par with the Chief Secretary.
Amongst advocates in the fray are Rajesh Narvekar, Suresh Raikar, Narayan Narvekar, Juino D’Souza, Gurudas Natekar, Rui Ferreira, Vanishia D’Souza, Sudin Sangodkar, Sanjay Chodankar, Suresh Pilarnekar, Harsha Naik, Shivaji Bhangui, besides Public Prosecutor Pratima Vernekar and former CBI Prosecutor Sidharth Desai. The three journalists in the running are Sandesh Prabhudessai, Arvind Tengse and Sameer Dessai while retired bureaucrats N.D.Agarwal, Stanley Coutinho, Omprakash Kurtadkar, Murlidhar Bansode, K.K.Nadkarni besides Joint Secretary Law S.G. Marathe, former Member of North Goa District Consumer Forum Dhananjay Jog and State Consumer Redressal Commission member Jagdish Prabhudesai have also applied. Prof Naguesh Colvalkar of Salgaoncar College of Law and the Principal of Kare College of Law Arun Nadkarni are also in the race with the President of Goa Administrative Tribunal Ulhas Pai Raikar and the Additional President Prashant Tendolkar both joining the contest. Others who have also applied for these plumb posts are Deepak Karmalkar, Kishore Shet Mandrekar, Namdev Chodankar, Ramrao Dessai, Pratiksha Phal Dessai, Kedar Dharwadkar, Arvind Narvekar, Hanumant Redkar, Jose Filomeno Menezes, Vijay Gaonkar, Vishwanath Hinde, Vinu Parida, Dattaram Chari, Balchandra Mayekar and Col M.S.Niranjan. There has been interest shown from even the medical arena with Dr Uday Gaunekar and a staff nurse from IPHB Uday Chari both throwing their hat in the ring. Surprisingly the former Registrar of Goa University Dr. M.M. Sangodkar who is currently, Member of the Goa Public Service Commission has also sent in his application through the Governor of Goa despite Article 319 (d) of the Constitution of India clearly prohibiting a State Public Service Commission member from subsequently holding any other government post. As per the Right to Information Act the State Information Commissioners have to be persons of Eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. The post of Information Commissioner is vacant since 2010. After the earlier three stage managed futile attempts, we can only hope that the government finally now gets the selection right fourth time around. Independent minded persons of Eminence who would not succumb to political pulls and pressures should be appointed as Information Commissioners to ensure the proper implementation of the Right to Information Act. If Yes-men manage to creep into as Information Commissioners it would be an exercise in futility ending up as white elephants that Goa would be better off without. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
