M A I N   N E W S

CIC notice to PMO on FS
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 14
The Central Information Commission has issued notice to the PMO, Cabinet Secretariat and the External Affairs Ministry on an application seeking access to the file notings on the appointment of Foreign Secretary Shivshanker Menon.

The CIC panel comprising Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah and Commissioner O P Kejariwal, also issued the notice to the Department of Personnel and Training on an application filed by senior IFS officer Veena Sikri, invoking her right to get the information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The CIC, in the notice, has sought the responses of the respondents whether the notings should be made available to Sikri, who questioned the appointment of Menon, an IFS officer one year junior to her.

Sikri submitted that she is the IFS officer of 1991 batch. Despite being senior, her candidature was ignored to the top diplomatic post in the MEA. She has sought to peruse the notings on Menon’s appointment file to know how he had edged past her.

She also sought the information regarding the rules and procedure followed by the Government in processing the appointment of Menon, who allegedly had superseded at least 16 IFS officers, including her.

The Bench of CIC, headed by Habibullah is expected to take up the matter for further hearing on April 24 after receiving the replies from PMO, Cabinet Secretariat and the other two respondent departments.

Sikri, who moved the application recently had returned to Delhi in November last year after serving India’s High Commissioner in Dhaka, protesting the appointment of Menon as Foreign Secretary.

SC administration gets the rap

New Delhi, April 14
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has sent a show-cause notice to the Supreme Court administration for failing to supply information to an applicant.

Zile Singh of Tehkhand village in Delhi, who had sought a piece of information from the registrar, administration of the court, complained to the Commission that the PIO had not responded to his application which was submitted along with the requiste fee on May 10 last year.

The CIC decided to treat his application as a complaint under Section 18 of the Right to Information Act and directed the PIO and additional registrar of the Supreme Court to provide the information within ten working days from the receipt of the decision.

It slapped a notice on the PIO asking him to appear in person before the Commission on May 25 and show cause why a penalty of Rs 250 per day (not exceeding Rs 25000) should not be imposed on him/her.