Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Apr 22: In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances,Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh stated that the appointment of Chief Information Commissioner of India is under process and that the selection would be made by the Committee constituted under Section 12(3) of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed that the post of the Chief Information Commissioner is lying vacant since August 23, last year after the completion of the tenure of Rajiv Mathur. The process, however, was started in due course and on October 24, an advertisement was issued for filling up of the post of the Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission and the last date for receiving applications was notified as November 24, he added.
In reply to another question, Dr Jitendra Singh said, among the top level vacancies of Secretaries and other functionaries in the Government of India, currently six senior posts were vacant which included Secretary Fertilisers, Secretary National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Secretary Official Language, Director General Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-cum-Secretary Department of Health Research, Director General Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-cum-Secretary and Director General Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)-cum-Secretary. However, he added, the necessary process has already been initiated for expediting the filling of these posts. Meanwhile, he said, the posts of Secretaries in Government of India keep falling vacant and then are suitably filled up which is a part of an ongoing exercise and therefore nothing unusual.
Denying any delay in appointments, Dr Jitendra Singh said, certain norms and procedures are required to be followed, particularly in making appointments to senior posts or sensitive positions. At times, there are also issues of court direction which need to be taken into cognizance, he added, but observed that over all in the last ten months of the present government, there has virtually been no delay in disposing off paper work or backlog.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel