The SIC, in its September 25 order, had directed the chief secretary's office to ensure that public information officers and first appellate authorities are appointed to offices of all ministers of state and cabinet ministers.
The state government on Monday asked the state information commission (SIC) to grant it an extension of one month for implementing its order on bringing offices of ministers under the RTI Act. The extension was sought after the state failed to comply with the SIC's binding order for which a show-cause notice had been slapped on it in November.
The SIC, in its September 25 order, had directed the chief secretary's office to ensure that public information officers and first appellate authorities are appointed to offices of all ministers of state and cabinet ministers. The order was to be implemented by October 31. Chief secretary Swadheen Kshatriya had then said the order would be complied with. It was passed by state chief information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad on an application by Fort resident and journalist Govind Tupe.
At the hearing, the commission said the government should either challenge the order or implement it. "There are no two ways," said Gaikwad. Additional chief secretary and chief protocol officer Sumit Mullick, who represented the government, said the government needed one-and-a-half month as the matter was with the CM.
"They have made this like a court case. When a tehsildar office can be a public authority, there is no reason a minister's should not be. What misdoings are they trying to hide?" said Tupe.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, replying to an SMS from dna, said, "We are open for any scrutiny. Anything that is permissible under the law to be given as public info we have been giving and will go on giving. It's not a matter of hiding any info... It's about creating multiple layers of compliance. Hence we want to know what is the provision in central govt. When u add a layer it increases administrative cost." (sic)
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