Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh has filed a complaint with Lokayukta against chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and parliamentary affair minister Narottam Mishra for arbitrary appointment of information commissioners. Singh has sought the cancellation of the appointments with immediate effect.
Singh alleged that appointments of five information commissioners were done violating the recruitment norms. Singh has urged Governor Anandiben Patel to reject the government’s appointment proposal. Singh, who is also member of the selection committee, also objected that the appointments of the information commissioners were done in his absence.
In his complaint Singh said in his absence, the Chouhan and Mishra convened a meeting on October 1 and forwarded the names of five commissioners to the Governor for the approval. LoP said that he dint attend the meeting as he was in Delhi. ‘In my absence the CM and parliamentary affair minister selected the five names and, which is totally against the rule,’ said the Congress leader. Referring to an order of Madras High Court, Singh said that the court in 2012 had cancelled the appointment of information commissioner stating that all members were not present in the selection committee meeting.
Besides, he said that only two posts of the commissioner were scheduled to be filled as per the advertisement published on December 25, 2016. The re-advertisement published on May 3, 2018 was also for selection of two commissioners. As many as 187 candidates had applied for the posts.
