The Maharashtra's State Information Commission is headless for the past five months, with the Devendra Fadnavis Government having not so far decided on the choice of replacement for Ratnakar Gaikwad who retired on May 29 this year.
Responding to an RTI query by activist Anil Galgali, the State General Administration Department (GAD) said that Gaikwad had retired after handing over the charge to Ajit Kumar Jain, Information Commissioner, Greater Mumbai.
“On the further queries about the names of the shortlisted candidates and also details about the status of replacement for Gaikwad, I was told that the file relating to the appointment of new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) is pending with the chief minister’s office. The GAD has told me that it is no position to provide me the list of shortlisted candidates. I would be provided the list once the file returns back to the department after necessary approvals,” Galgali said.
In a letter to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Galgali demanded that the appointment of a new Chief Information Commissioner be done immediately to ensure speedy completition of the held-up work at the Information Commission and easing up of the inconvenience being caused to common people, who are awaiting orders on their appeals before the CIC.