As was expected, Goa gets a very saffronised Chief Information Commissioner Prashant Prabhu Tendolkar. The Ponda based Prashant Prabhu Tendolkar is known to have very deep links with the BJP and is an extremely close aide of South Goa Member of Parliament Narendra Sawaikar. After the BJP came to power Prashant Prabhu Tendolkar was in September 2013 appointed as the Additional President of Goa Administrative Tribunal and retired in February this year on attaining the age of 60. He will now get a four and half cozy year term in this plumb post as Chief Information Commissioner with salaries, allowances and perks on par with that of an Election Commissioner.
Another flawed selection is that of one more BJP Karyakarta Juino de Souza selected as the State Information Commissioner who will now get a full five year term with salaries, allowances and perks as that of the Chief Secretary for being a loyal soldier of the BJP. The Right to Information Act requires that the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioner shall be persons of eminence in public life. Can Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar please enlighten us as to how the government has come to an inference that Prashant Prabhu Tendolkar and Juino De Souza possess eminence in public Life? The Right to Information Act further requires that the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner shall not be connected with any political party. It is no secret that Prashant Prabhu Tendolkar and Juino De Souza are both well connected with the BJP. To ensure proper implementation of the Right to Information Act, the State Information Commission should comprise of independent minded persons who do not succumb to the pulls and pressures of the politicians in power. The best and the brightest should have been selected to these very crucial positions in a very transparent manner but the government has managed to get its ‘caged” parrots sneak through. Goa has waited so long for these Information Commissioners only to see Yes-men of the ruling party being anointed to these vital posts. The implementation of the Right to Information Act will only continue to be further scuttled with agents of the BJP at the helm. No ‘Achhe din’ in sight for Transparency and Good Governance. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires