Telangana, AP told to specify steps taken to appoint Information Commissioners

​Hyderabad: The High Court at Hyderabad on Tuesday directed the Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh governments to inform the court as to what steps they had taken to appoint Chief Information Commissioners and Information Commissioners under RTI Act in their respective States. It also asked the governments to give their opinion whether this institution falls under Schedule X institutions or not.

The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice T Rajani gave this direction while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition moved by Forum for Good Governance General Secretary M Padmanabhaiah, seeking a direction to the governments to forthwith appoint the Commissioners as common public were suffering.

Telangana State Advocate General K Ramakrishna Reddy contended that State Information Commission falls under Schedule X institutes under AP Reorganisation Act and therefore the two State governments have to jointly sort out the issue of bifurcation of the Commission and only then the question of appointment of Commissioners would arise.

Andhra Pradesh Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas informed the bench that the State would form its own Commission instead of a joint one. Both the AGs sought time to get these done and then make appointments.
The counsel for the petitioner B Rachna informed the bench that the common people are suffering due to the non-filling of these key posts as there are already over 20,000 cases pending in the Commission.

The bench observed that it would not mind if the Commission is a joint one or each State forms its own Commission, but the process of appointment of Commissioners must be completed at the earliest. It directed the States to file counter affidavits explaining what steps they are going to take in this regard and adjourned the matter by two weeks.