191 in fray for info panel chief’s post

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 24

With today being the last day for applying for the post of State Chief Information Commissioner, a total of 191 persons have sent in their applications for the post which fell vacant last year.

Sources said while 141 applications for the post of SCIC had been received against the advertisement issued last year after the seat fell vacant on the retirement of Bhim Sen on March 23, 2016, an additional 50 have been received in the last 10 days. The sources said the meeting of the Selection Committee, headed by the Chief Minister, could take place on May 27, when the one-day special session of the Assembly is to be held.

Prior to this, the Selection Committee had met on May 9 to finalise the names of the next State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and State Information Commissioner (SIC) but it was decided to give 15 more days to the people to apply as the applications received had been against the advertisement that appeared on May, 2016. The other members of the committee include senior Cabinet minister Vidya Stokes and Leader of Opposition PK Dhumal.

A total of 50 persons have applied for the post of SCIC in the last 15 days. Those who remain front runners for the post include the former chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission K.S. Tomar and Additional Chief Secretary Narender Chauhan. Some other prominent names in the race include former Union Secretary Ashok Thakur, retired bureaucrats - R K. Jain and P C Dhiman and former Additional Director General of Police B.N.S. Negi.

The single post of State Information Commissioner (SIC) too fell vacant last month on the completion of the term of KD Batish. A total of 37 applications have been received to fill up the lone post of SIC in the state.

Though Tomar and Chauhan seem to be the strong contenders it remains to be seen who will be the final choice of the Selection Committee. The manner in which the government decided to make a high-ranking retired army officer, the Chairman of Public Service Commission, there could be a surprise name this time too.

The front-runners

• Those who remain the front runners for the post include the former chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission K.S. Tomar and Additional Chief Secretary Narender Chauhan. 
• Other prominent names in the race include former Union Secretary Ashok Thakur, retired bureaucrats - R K. Jain and P C Dhiman - and former Additional Director General of Police BNS Negi.
• Besides the CM, other members of the selection committee include senior Cabinet minister Vidya Stokes and Leader of Opposition PK Dhumal.