By Aires Rodrigues
The now failed attempt to appoint Educationist and Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) leader Pandurang Nadkarni as the State Information Commissioner was one of the many flawed and autocratic moves by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in his first 100 days in office.
The Government had tried to project a fair and transparent selection process but it was very clear that the Chief Minister had cleverly lined up his man for the top post carrying a monthly salary of over Rs 1,20,000. The law requires that the Information Commissioner should have wide knowledge and experience of law besides having no connection with any political party. Mr. Pandurang Nadkarni failed both these fundamental requisites. The law also required that the person should be of ‘eminence’. One would have presumed that a sound and solid academic record would be the foundation to any claim to eminence. But even despite Pandurang Nadkarni’s struggle to clear SSC, the Chief Minister opined that his man had the eminence required. The Political agenda of the ruling party should not be subversive of the rule of law.
In his apparent anxiety to accommodate members of the BJP and Sangh Parivar, the Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar could have placed Pandurang Nadkarni in some other position. Constitutional positions like the Information Commissioner and the proposed Lokayukta should under all circumstances be kept beyond any reach of political control, interference and manipulation. We should be vigilant to ensure that these positions remain free from all parasites.
The now failed attempt to appoint Educationist and Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) leader Pandurang Nadkarni as the State Information Commissioner was one of the many flawed and autocratic moves by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in his first 100 days in office.
The Government had tried to project a fair and transparent selection process but it was very clear that the Chief Minister had cleverly lined up his man for the top post carrying a monthly salary of over Rs 1,20,000. The law requires that the Information Commissioner should have wide knowledge and experience of law besides having no connection with any political party. Mr. Pandurang Nadkarni failed both these fundamental requisites. The law also required that the person should be of ‘eminence’. One would have presumed that a sound and solid academic record would be the foundation to any claim to eminence. But even despite Pandurang Nadkarni’s struggle to clear SSC, the Chief Minister opined that his man had the eminence required. The Political agenda of the ruling party should not be subversive of the rule of law.
In his apparent anxiety to accommodate members of the BJP and Sangh Parivar, the Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar could have placed Pandurang Nadkarni in some other position. Constitutional positions like the Information Commissioner and the proposed Lokayukta should under all circumstances be kept beyond any reach of political control, interference and manipulation. We should be vigilant to ensure that these positions remain free from all parasites.
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