The list of applicants that the state government's General Administration Department (GAD) has been sending for the posts of state chief information commissioner (SCIC) and information commissioners (IC) is grossly outdated and even has applications from as far back as 2005, data accessed under
the transparency law has revealed.
The list of 83 aspirants for the top posts include Umesh C Sarangi, current additional chief secretary (home) who will retire on February 29; Ramanand Tiwari who was suspended as state information commissioner for his alleged involvement in the Adarsh scam; former information commissioner Vijay Kuvalekar and others who cannot serve as IC as they are above 65 years of age.
The department seems to have simply added new applications to the list and put it up before the state committee comprising the chief minister, deputy chief minister and opposition leader. Nandkumar Jantare, former secretary, GAD, who retired on January 31, said, "Relevant information is added to the list and sent to the committee. There is no scrutiny as these are constitutional posts."
Sarangi said, "I had applied in 2010 after Suresh Joshi's retirement, but not recently." Tiwari stated, his application was from 2010, post Joshi's retirement and not a recent one. Vihar Durve who accessed the data under the transparency law, said, "The IC is appointed in a completely disorganised manner."