Vacant posts of information commissioners in Goa to be filled
9 Aug, 2014Under criticism for delay in the process of filling the two posts of information commissioner at the state information commission (SIC) which are lying vacant since August 2012, the minister for information and publicity, Milind Naik, informed the Goa legislative assembly that the vacant posts shall be re-advertised and will be filled as early as possible. He added that the selection process had to be annuled as it was not in keeping with the directions of the Supreme Court-that at least one of the information commissioners should have experience in the field of law.
Pointing towards the backlog of cases, MLA, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, and MLA, Rohan Khaunte, had raised the issue of delay in their disposal. The minister was called upon to take steps to fill the posts without any further delay as the backlog of cases pending before the commission has increased resulting in delay in their disposal.
As per Section 16 (2) of RTI Act, "Every State Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office or till he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier, and shall not be eligible for reappointment as such State Information Commissioner".
Further Section 16 (5) (b) says that "The salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of the State Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of the Chief Secretary to the State Government".