Former bureaucrats retain hold over Info Commission

In the appointment of former Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) today, the state’s powerful bureaucracy has retained its hold over the top post in the State Information Commission (SIC).

Since 2005, when former Chief Secretary G Madhavan was appointed the state’s first CIC, the SIC has remained a favourite parking place for retired bureaucrats. All CICs, including Naresh Gulati and Vijay Vardhan, have been retired IAS officers. One of the CICs was Yashpal Singhal, a retired DGP.

Over the years, a substantial number of Information Commissioners have been retired bureaucrats, mostly IAS officers.

Meanwhile, besides Prasad, four Information Commissioners—Amarjit Singh, Karamvir Saini, Neeta Khera and Sanjay Madan—were administered oath by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.

In another development, Hemant Kumar, an advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a representation to President Droupadi Murmu, copies of which were sent to the Prime Minister, Governor and Chief Minister, sought her immediate intervention for protecting and upholding the sanctity of Article 319(d) of the Constitution in connection with the appointment of Neeta Khera, a former member of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

Khera, who remained as member of the HPSC from August 2016 to August 2022 , cannot be appointed as the Information Commissioner as Article 319 (d) of the Constitution prohibited her re-appointment on any other statutory post.

“A member other than the Chairman of a State Public Service Commission shall be eligible for appointment as the Chairman or any other member of the Union Public Service Commission or as the Chairman of that or any other State Public Service Commission, but not for any other employment either under the Government of India or under the Government of a State,” Hemant Kumar said, quoting Article 319(d).

INLD raises red flag

The president of the state unit of the INLD, Rampal Majra, on Monday objected to the appointment of Information Commissioners Priyanka and Neeta Khera. Priyanka did not take oath today. “Khera cannot be appointed as the Information Commissioner as per the provisions of Article 319(d) of the Constitution as she had already held the constitutional post of HPSC member. In case of Priyanka, the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights and the Haryana State Commission for Protection Child Rights made certain adverse remarks against her when she served as a member of the Child Welfare Committee, Bhiwani,” Majra alleged.

Haryana Tribune