The Jharkhand State Information Commission is likely to a get a functional head very soon as the committee headed by Chief Minister Raghubar Das seems to have arrived at a consensus over a new Chief Information Commissioner for Jharkhand. Although a final decision is still awaited, 1982-batch Indian Administrative Officer, Aditya Swaroop, appears to be the clear favourite of the panel constituted for selecting CIC.
“There is a consensus among the panel members over his (Aditya Swaroop) name but no final decision has been taken yet,” said a highly placed source. The panel includes leader of the principal opposition, Hemant Soren and Minister, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Rural Works, Neelkanth Singh Munda as other members.
The commission in the absence of the top functionary is currently being headed by State Information Commissioner, PR Dash. The top body for upholding the provisions of Right To Information Act has been vested with the powers of receiving complaints and second appeals for providing relief to the complainants and appellants in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005. The work of implementing RTI in letter and spirit has suffered since the term of the former CIC, Justice (Retired) DK Sinha ended.
Swaroop, a 1982-batch IAS officer has held the post of Principal Secretary in the Personnel, Administrative Reformsand Rajbhasha besides several other departments and had made enriching contribution as the Principal Secretary to Governor Syed Ahmed.