Go by full bench verdict on appointing info commissioners,Punjab told

The High Court directed the state to frame rules keeping in view the judgment given by the full bench of the High Court while quashing the proposed appointment of Harish Rai Dhanda as chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).

A R Talwar,principal secretary to Department of Information and Technology,was present in the High Court on Monday during the resumed hearing of a PIL filed by advocate H C Arora. The petitioner had sought directions to Punjab for framing of rules so that the practice of making pick-and-choose policy for appointment of State Information Commissioners might be put to an end.

Talwar submitted that the state had adopted a fair and transparent procedure,as directed by the High Court for selecting Information Commissioners. He said a search committee was set up by the state government besides inviting applications from eligible and interested persons against four vacancies of State Information Commissioners.

The Bench observed that “while decision to frame appropriate rules is in the discretion of the appropriate authority of the state government,the state government being a welfare state cannot run away from its responsibility to provide for fair and transparent procedure for appointment of State Information Commissioners”.

The court noted that the rules provide for orderly conduct of business,and also lead to efficiency of administration,so the state cannot run away from its responsibility to frame rules.

The Bench directed the government to complete the exercise at an early date for bringing fairness and transparency in the procedure for selection of State Information Commissioners.