CIC postpones foundation-stone laying function of new building

A hurriedly-called function tomorrow for laying the foundation stone for a new Central Information Commission building here was postponed at the last minute as questions were raised within the transparency agency.
Chief Information Commissioner Vijai Sharma, whose term is coming to an end on December 1, was to have laid the foundation stone for the building in South Delhi with the plan for the event having been drawn up at the last minute.
Intimation about the function was given to Information Commissioners, some of whom are out of station, over the phone today from its office here, CIC sources said, adding that they were asked to be present tomorrow for the event at 10 AM.

However, the move was opposed by some of the Information Commissioners, who said that holding of such functions should be first discussed amongst themselves and also opined that an important function of this sort should have an important dignitary as chief guest.
When contacted about tomorrow's programme, Sharma said, "We are shifting the dates as some Information Commissioners are out of town. We will give three days' notice now before this function."
The sources said it is likely that Sharma will now take up the issue at the weekly internal meeting of the Commissioners held every Tuesday.

Some of the Commissioners have expressed reservations about the proposed location of the building, near JNU old campus, as they feel that the location is not well-connected and would prove difficult for its officers and information seekers to reach.

Asked about the issue, Information Commissioner Yashovardhan Azad told PTI, "My concern is that a lot of people who come to the Commission have other engagements too. This is one Commission which has maximum public interface. It would be ideal if the building is centrally-located."
Sources in the Commission said that if the issue of the location was taken up with the government, it might have considered the same.