Guj HC seeks government's reply on PIL on appointment of CIC

The Gujarat High Court today sought the state government's reply on a PIL seeking transparency in the process for selection of the next chief information commissioner (CIC).
A division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice V M Pancholi was hearing a PIL seeking the court's direction to the government to follow the due procedure and maintain transparency in the appointment process. Earlier CIC Balwant Singh retired on December 5, 2016.
The government pleader told the court that the appointment process was underway.
Petitioner Chandravadan Dhruv said the government should shortlist 10 eminent persons who meet the criteria for the post, and ensure that no bureaucrat is in the list.

The appointment of new CIC should be expedited because as of December, over 5,783 cases were pending before the state information commission, he said.
"The CIC and IC (information commissioner) should be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance," the petition said.
It also sought court's direction to the government to issue advertisement inviting applications from interested persons for the CIC's post.