Report in Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad Edition, on 02 July 2010:
Babu objects to Jannat appointment
July 1: The appointment of the senior bureaucrat, Mr
Jannat Hussain, as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) turned
controversial on Thursday when the Leader of Opposition, Mr N.
Chandrababu Naidu, objected to the government’s move. Mr Naidu
questioned the government’s intention of appointing an officer, who has
served as principal secretary to two Congress chief ministers over a
long period, to a position that required a person with an impeccable and
unbiased approach.
The TD chief said that there were several others who were
better suited than Mr Hussain to hold an office that played a crucial
role in empowering people with information. Mr Naidu had earlier
visited the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) at the Secretariat to discuss
the CIC’s selection and also of the non-judicial member of the State
Human Rights Commission (SHRC).
As per the RTI Act, a panel comprising the Chief Minister,
the Leader of Opposition and a senior Cabinet member nominated by the
Chief Minister (Ms J. Geeta Reddy in this case) should make the
selection. The TD president was reportedly upset with the unilateral
approach of the government in informing him of the selection of Mr
Hussain for the post. Describing the act as undemocratic, he wondered
how the spirit of the Act could be upheld if the government took the
decision first and later put the same for formal approval before the
committee. “Where is the need for this exercise?” he asked.
Mr Naidu told media persons that he would put all his
objections and views in the file when it was brought to him before being
sent to the Governor for the appointment. He said he would also
represent his objections to the Governor in person. He demanded that the
government should rethink on the customary approach adopted in these
selections.
The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, refused to comment on
the observations made by Mr Naidu.
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RTIwanted
