Governor objects to govt’s recommendation to appoint Jawed Usmani as CIC

http://www.news18.com/news/uttar-pradesh/governor-objects-to-govts-recommendation-to-appoint-jawed-usmani-as-cic-634907.html

Politics

#Akhilesh Yadav #Jawed Usmani #Mulayam Singh Yadav

Governor objects to govt's recommendation to appoint Jawed Usmani as CIC

News18 | Gulam Jeelani | Thu Nov 06, 2014 | 12:05 IST

#Lucknow #Uttar Pradesh In a set back to Akhilesh Yadav-led
government, Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik has raised objections on
the former's proposal of appointing former chief secretary Jawed
Usmani as chief information commissioner (CIC) of the UP State
Information Commission.

Returning the proposal sent to him for final approval on Wednesday,
the governor also sought a vigilance report from the government on
Usmani.

The candidature of the 1978 IAS officer Usmani - currently posted as
Chairman of UP Board of Revenue - was approved by the selection
committee that met here under the chairmanship of chief minister
Akhilesh Yadav on Monday.

But the decision, sources said, has not gone down very well with the
governor who has to put the final stamp on the appointment. Usmani's
final appointment, according to sources, faced hurdles on account of
his past. Besides, the government had apparently sidelined a number of
eligible aspirants for the top job in UPSIC - the transparency
watchdog while forwarding Usmani's name. Also a non-profit
organization-Transparency, Accountability and Human Rights Initiative
for Revolution' (TAHRIR) had sent a memorandum to the governor warning
him against Usmani', who is due to retire in 2016.
Governor objects to govt

"Possible involvement of Jawed Usmani in Hindalco coal Scam case as
Central Bureau of Investigation had earlier decided to question Jawed
Usmani, the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh and a former joint
secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, regarding the controversial
coal block allocation to Hindalco, though as a witness," the
memorandum said.

That Usmani is still a serving IAS officer and draws his salary from
the state exchequer, also seems to go against his appointment as CIC.
For the Right to Information Act clearly states that, since CIC is a
constitutional post, the incumbent should not be on the pay rolls of
any government.

Under these circumstances, the government is left with two
options-prepare a vigilance report and send it to the governor or
start a fresh selection of CIC. Noteworthy, the CIC post was vacated
after controversial ex-bureaucrat Ranjit Singh Pankaj's term was over
in July this year. Considered close to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Usmani was appointed as chief secretary following
the party's landslide victory in 2012, becoming state's first Muslim
to occupy the top bureaucratic position. He was, however, shunted to
Board of Revenue soon after the SP's rout in Lok Sabha elections.

A CIC enjoys the status equivalent to that of a judge of the Supreme
Court and has a term of five years or till the completion of 65 years
age, whichever earlier. Not so long ago Usmani's name was doing the
rounds to take over as Secretary (Disinvestment) in Government of
India. Before that, he was expected to be appointed as secretary in
the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in Union government.

--
-Sincerely Yours,

Urvashi Sharma
Secretary - YAISHWARYAJ SEVA SANSTHAAN
101,Narayan Tower, Opposite F block Idgah
Rajajipuram,Lucknow-226017,Uttar Pradesh,India
Contact 9369613513
Right to Information Helpline 8081898081
Helpline Against Corruption 9455553838


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