Information Commissioner Appointments Must Align with SC Guidelines: Dil Bahadur

Jamshedpur: Advocate Dil Bahadur, Central President of the RTI Activist Association, has criticized the Jharkhand government’s recent appointment of Information Commissioners, alleging that the process violates Supreme Court mandates.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday at the Bal Mazdoor Mukti Seva Sansthan in the Old Court Complex, Sakchi, Bahadur noted that while the appointment of a Chief Information Commissioner and Lokayukta is a welcome step following years of judicial struggle, the current selections undermine the transparency of the office.

Concerns Over Political Appointments

Bahadur alleged that the state government and the opposition have “partitioned” the posts among themselves, ignoring the Supreme Court’s directive to appoint eminent persons from diverse professional backgrounds.

• Political Bias: The Association claims that the government appointed press spokespersons from national and regional political parties instead of independent experts.
• Disregard for Guidelines: Bahadur stated that the selection process bypassed distinguished individuals with expertise in social work and law.
• Public Impact: He warned that such political appointments would prevent the general public from receiving impartial justice.

Appeal to the Governor

The Association plans to submit a formal application to Governor Santosh Gangwar. They intend to demand that the appointments strictly follow judicial guidelines by including renowned RTI activists and social workers on the panel.

Safety of RTI Activists

During the briefing, Central General Secretary Kritibas Mandal raised concerns regarding the safety of activists. He claimed that RTI workers frequently face death threats for seeking information, yet the administration fails to provide legal protection. Instead, he alleged, authorities often shield those issuing threats, aiming to demoralize activists.

The press conference followed a central committee meeting of the RTI Activist Association. Prominent members in attendance included Sadan Kumar Thakur, Sunil Kumar Murmu, Sunita Prasad, Ranjit Singh, and several others.