The State government on Thursday deferred a meeting regarding selection of Chief Information Commissioner and information commissioners of Jharkhand State Information Commission.
However, it was said that the meeting was scheduled to take place in the evening. But, it had to be postponed as Chief Minister Hemant Soren heading the selection panel remained busy in the department review meeting, hence, he could not be free.
But insiders said that the government will seek legal opinion that can the selection meeting take place in the absence of the leader of the opposition.
The three-member selection committee comprises Leader of Opposition besides Chief Minister and a Cabinet Minister. Currently the Chief Minister and Transport Minister Champai Soren are the only two members since the leader of the opposition has not been notified by the Assembly. The BJP, which is the chief opposition party has already elected Babulal Marandi as legislative party leader but the office of Assembly Speaker so far has refused to recognize Marandi as Leader of Opposition on some legal grounds.
Nobody from the BJP legislative fold came to attend the meeting.
In Jharkhand there are 10 posts of information other than the post of chief information commissioner. But, the State government is initially keen to appoint five information commissioners besides chief information commissioner.
The post of chief information commissioner has been lying vacant after Himanshu Chaudhary completed his term in May.
Similarly, as many as five posts of information commissioners are vacant. In the past three years; thrice the appointment process for information commissioner was cancelled. Right now, there are as many as 6000 pending appeals.
In January the government issued a fresh order for selection of chief information commissioner and information commissioners. As many as 354 applications were shortlisted for various posts of information commissioner whereas for chief information commissioner post 63 candidates were shortlisted.
Notably, a case is pending before Jharkhand High Court related to appointment of chief information commissioner and information commissioner. The government had informed the court that the appointed process will be completed by January this year.