State creates new post of information chief for city

Taking the increasing number of pending appeals in Greater Mumbai into account, the state government has created the post of state information commissioner for the region.

Taking the increasing number of pending appeals in Greater Mumbai into account, the state government has created the post of state information commissioner for the region. The move will ensure that the region gets a full-time information commissioner, who has been missing since the suspension of Ramanand Tiwari.

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Former principal secretary of urban development department and information commissioner Tiwari has been under suspension since January 20, 2011, because of his alleged involvement in the Adarsh society scam.

Under the provisions of the RTI Act, the procedure to sack Tiwari is time-consuming. So, the government has found a middle path by temporarily creating an additional post of information commissioner who will handle the work till Tiwari’s tenure ends in February 2013.

“Under the act, it is difficult to appoint a new information commissioner in place of Tiwari. So, an additional post has been created for the stipulated period. After Tiwari’s retirement, the post will be vacant and new appointment will be made,” said a senior official.

Though the Government Resolution (GR) regarding creation of new post was issued last week, the procedure of appointing the information commissioner has not been mentioned.

Meanwhile, little has been done to fill the post of state chief information commissioner and two information commissioners since the past one year.