Amid resignation row, new CIC DP Thaker takes oath

Newly-appointed Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) DP Thaker took oath of office and secrecy on Wednesday. Governor OP Kohli administered his oath amid controversy surrounding the appointment of Thaker superseding two senior bureaucrats serving as information commissioner in the Gujarat State Information Commission.

Reports said that the information commissioner and 1982 batch IAS officer HV Patel resigned from their post on Monday after being disappointed by Thaker's appointment. Patel did not attended the oath taking ceremony, which implied that he was indeed disappointed.

Patel was the senior most information commissioner in state out of three, including Thaker, and 1994 batch retired IAS RR Varsani. Varsani, too, was superseded by Thaker and was not happy with the appointment, but attended the occasion.

Thaker, who was the officer of the state administrative cadre, served in the chief minister's office for more than ten years and retired as deputy secretary. In the oath taking ceremony, chief secretary Dr JN Singh was also present.

Singh confirmed the development of Patel's resignation, and said, "Patel has submitted his resignation to the government, but no action has been taken about it as the CM was not present in Gandhinagar."

Sources in the government said, "It will be a formality to accept the resignation of Patel by government as he is not willing to serve anymore. The government may consider the new name for the vacant seat to fall after the formality of accepting the resignation will be over."