Jaya boycotts CM-headed meeting to discuss CIC candidates

AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on Monday boycotted a selection committee meeting headed by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to discuss candidates for the post of the state chief information commissioner, with incumbent S Ramakrishnan's term ending this month.

AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on Monday boycotted a selection committee meeting headed by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to discuss candidates for the post of the state chief information commissioner, with incumbent S Ramakrishnan's term ending this month.

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Today's meeting assumed significance in the wake of rights activists urging Jayalalithaa, a member of the commission by virtue of being Opposition Leader, to oppose the candidature of Chief Secretary K S Sripathy, whose name was reportedly in contention.

Activists have been opposing Sripathy's name as they contend that it was during his tenure as Vigilance Commissioner that the Tamil Nadu Vigilance Commission pushed for exemption of Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption from the purview of the Right to Information Act (RTI).

Three activists had also called on Jayalalithaa on Sunday to convey their concerns, saying Sripathy's name has been doing the rounds even before today's meeting.

Karunanidhi and Finance Minister K Anbazhagan participated in the meeting, an official release said.