Prepare action plan within 6 days to appoint Information Commissioner - High Court
7 Sep, 2013The Madhya Pradesh government had appointed an inquiry committee to look into the Datia manmade tragedy in 2006 wherein around 50 pilgrims were killed due to sudden opening of the Mandikheda dam gates.
Later on, an application was filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to get the copy of the report submitted by the inquiry committee. After being denied the demanded information, the applicant approached the State Information Commission (SIC). The then Chief Information Commissioner (2010) asked the government to provide a copy of the report to the applicant but the department of general administration didn't comply with the order. The department sent a letter to the appellant in 2012 that the copy cannot be provided as it was to be presented in the state assembly.
Following this, the appellant filed a petition in the High Court. The court asked him to approach the Information Commissioners as per the RTI Act. However, this was not possible as the post of the Chief Information Commissioner has been lying vacant since the retirement of the last incumbent in December, 2012. In this light, the High Court has ordered the state government to prepare and submit before the court an action plan within six days regarding the appointment of the Information Commissioners.