Narendra Modi to head body to appoint Chief Information Commissioner

The state government is gearing up to appoint new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) in the state who will supervise the implementation of the Right to Information Act.

The term of the current CIC of Gujarat RN Das will get over on July 6. Sources in the state government said, “The five-year-term of the first CIC is getting over on July 6, 2011. As per the act, there will be no reappointment of the service. Moreover the CIC can not hold the office after he has turned 65.”

Sources added, “As per the act a three-member committee under the chairmanship of the CM will recommend the names to the governor for the appointment of the state CIC. In case of Gujarat, committee will be headed by Narendra Modi and another member on the committee from the cabinet, who is nominated by the CM.

The third member will be leader of the opposition Shaktisinh Gohil. The minister nominated by the CM in the committee is the state revenue minister Anandiben Patel.”

During his tenure, Das a retired IAS officer of Gujarat cadre accomplished some important tasks. He passed orders on state wide information on the farmers’ suicides in Gujarat and maintenance of records during his tenure led to formation of a new policy on record reconstruction.

However, Das was more focused on encouraging the proactive disclosure about various schemes run by different state government departments.