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.