Ranchi: Leader of opposition Babulal Marandi on Friday urged chief minister Hemant Soren to appoint the chief information commissioner (CIC) and make the state information commission fully functional.Marandi, in a letter to CM, referring to being present in a meeting earlier this year for appointment of information commissioners (IC), which was chaired by Soren and attended by minister Hafizul Hassan, wrote, “I had specifically raised the issue of appointing the CIC during the meeting and was assured that the process would be completed soon.”Marandi said the absence of a CIC was preventing the commission from beginning regular hearings on appeals and complaints.The BJP functionary claimed that he had signed the recommendation for the appointment of ICs based on CM’s assurance that CIC would also be appointed without delay. “Had I known that the appointment would remain pending and the commission’s functioning would not begin, I would not have signed the recommendation,” he said.Marandi further pointed out that a PIL in Jharkhand high court concerning appointments in the commission had been disposed of after govt assured the court that the appointment process would be completed. Stating that the govt is duty-bound to ensure that the commission becomes fully operational, Marandi questioned why citizens should be forced to approach the judiciary again for an issue the govt could resolve administratively.Stressing the importance of Right to Information (RTI) Act, Marandi said delays in hearings were rendering the citizens’ right to information ineffective. He urged Soren to convene the selection committee meeting at the earliest, complete the appointment of CIC and begin regular hearings, while also sharing a clear timeline for the process.State Congress spokesperson Kishore Nath Shahdeo said, “Govt has already appointed information commissioners and they have assumed office. It is also working to fill the existing post.”
