With the State Government taking no measure to appoint State Information Commissioners, a large number of rights activists staged a demonstration near the Raj Bhavan to press for their demand for an early solution on Thursday. They alleged that the RTI Act has been pushed to coma in the State with the post of Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner lying vacant for last few months.
“The only Commissioner Pramod Kumar Mohanty is scheduled to retire on May 27. Now he is not hearing cases and busy in preparing retirement papers. More than 5000 cases are pending in the Commission,” said Odisha Soochana Adhikar Commission convenor Pradip Pradahn. He further alleged that the State Government was trying hard to push the name of corrupt bureaucrats for appointment in the post of Chief Information Commissioner in a most clandestine way.
In order to build pressure on Government to adopt transparent procedure, RTI activists, human rights activists, senior citizens came forward and held the demonstration. The activists also submitted a memorandum to the Governor urging him to intervene in the matter and ensure early appointment.