UP information commissioners' appointment challenged in court

A day after the the Uttar Pradesh government appointed eight information commissioners, the decision was challenged before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court (HC).

In a writ petition, Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Amitabh Thakur, among the 600 plus applicants for the eight posts, alleged that the selection process was arbitrary, and sought it be quashed.

He demanded adoption of "fresh, open, transparent and definite selection process for these appointments".

The petition said that the principal secretary, administrative reforms had issued a notification Aug 14, 2013 seeking applications for these eight posts.

An application fees of Rs.2,000 was also charged but Thakur alleges that the Akhilesh Yadav government made these appointments without any definite and transparent appointment process.

Alleging of favouritism and political interference, his petition sought review of the whole process and its cancellation.

Thakur told IANS that he would like to know, like many others, why they were not considered for the post and what merits did the people appointed have over them.

The state government had Thursday appointed eight information commissioners, including four journalists, after a go ahead from Governor B.L. Joshi.

Twice in the last two years, Joshi had reservations on the names and had finally relented after the chief minister pitched in personally for the candidates.