BJP’S PANDURANG NADKARNI SELECTED AS STATE INFORMATION COMMISISONER

 By Aires Rodrigues


The three member high level committee comprising of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane and Urban Development Minister Francis D’ Souza today selected a staunch BJP supporter Mr. Pandurang Nadkarni as the next State Information Commissioner. During Mr. Parrikar’s earlier tenure as Chief Minister Mr. Pandurang Nadkarni was appointed as Chairman of Goa SSC Board.

The selection of Mr. Pandurang Nadkarni for the post of State Information Commissioner would now go to the Goa Governor B V Wanchoo for his approval he being the appointing authority.

27 had applied for the post of State Information Commissioner which draws a salary equivalent to the Chief Secretary of around Rs 1, 20,000 a month and has a term of five years.

A committee headed by Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava had short listed three names from the 27 who applied. The candidates short listed were an IAS officer Mr. D.C.Sahoo who has retired on 31st May, Dr Pradip Padwal former Director of Goa AIDS Society and Mr. Pandurang Nadkarni. It may be recalled that Mr. Sahoo in 2001 while Managing Director of Industrial Development Corporation was allegedly caught red handed accepting a bribe by the then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

It is a sad day for the RTI movement in the State as the selection of the State Information Commissioner was not on merit but a political choice. The Lokayukta and Information Commission needs to be totally free from political control. The unjust and unfair manner in which the Information Commissioner has been handpicked by the Chief Minister is a matter of concern.

The recently retired Principal of Salgaoncar College of Law Dr. Marian Pinheiro, has been deliberately sidelined though evidently being the most qualified and suitable for the post from amongst the list of 27 applicants.

Section 15(5) of the RTI Act requires that the State Information Commissioner should be a person of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance.

The selection process for such an important position could not have been a mere cosmetic exercise. The Right to Information Act being a vital evolving law it is imperative that the State Information Commissioner should be a person with a sound legal background.

In view of the lack of transparency and accountability in such appointments, the Supreme Court has recently expressed the need to select the Information Commissioner in a very transparent manner.
Amongst the 27 who had applied for the post of Goa State Information Commissioner were former Principal of Sanjay School Anyssia Viegas, former government servants N.P Varde, K.B Surjuse, Narayan Narvekar, Vishwanth Sawant, former Judge Sudin Sangodkar, a teacher Sarvanand Sawant Desai and a Chartered Accountant Surendra Kerkar. Former State Consumer Commission member Sandra Correia and a current member Dhananjay Jog also applied along with Suresh Raikar, R.B.Shirwaikar, Vijay Gaonkar, Vinita Harlankar besides social activists John Filipe Pereira and Juino de Souza. Six advocates who had thrown their hat in the ring are Julius Gomes, Sanjiv Sardesai, M.S.Joshi, Cynthia Pereira, Krutika Kande and Gynasham Poi. Applications for the State Information Commissioner’s post had to be submitted to the Director of Information and incidentally the current Information Director Mr. Menino Peres who is due to retire later this year had himself also applied for the coveted post.

IAS OFFICER SHUNTED FOR NOT BOWING DOWN TO GOA CM’S ORDERS

By Aires Rodrigues


The recently appointed Excise Commissioner of Goa Dr. Jayadev Sarangi has been shunted from the post for having transferred Excise Inspectors without the approval of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Dr Sarangi, a senior IAS officer who was posted in Goa last month by the Union Home Ministry had taken charge as Excise Commissioner just two weeks ago on 21st May. Dr. Jayadev Sarangi known to be no-nonsense officer was Deputy Inspector General of Prisons at the Tihar Jail before being posted in Goa.

On 1st June, Dr. Jayadev Sarangi issued orders transferring 24 Excise Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors who had completed a year at the same excise station. Incidentally Mr. Sarangi left the same evening to Delhi on a week’s leave to bring his family down to Goa.

After the transfer orders were faxed the same evening to the Excise stations, the transferred officials moved their political contacts the same night to get their orders cancelled. Sources reveal that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was annoyed that the transfers were effected without his consent and tried to get them cancelled that same night. It is learnt that the OSD to the Chief Minister Mr. Michael D’Souza who was officiating as Excise commissioner during Dr. Sarangi’s leave period tried to contact officers late that night to cancel the orders. On Monday 4th June, Michael D’Souza, issued an order keeping in abeyance the transfer orders issued by Dr. Sarangi.

Interestingly in the transfer orders issued by Dr Sarangi, four lady officials for the first time were posted at the Excise stations. In the past ladies were reportedly always sidelined and denied posting at the excise stations.

Ironically Dr Sarangi who is scheduled to return back to Goa tomorrow accompanied by his family to resume as Excise Commissioner on June 11th finds himself suddenly shunted out on the orders of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Dr. Sarangi has been directed to report to personnel department to await his next posting.

The transfer of staff within the department was the prerogative of the Excise Commissioner and did not require any approval or consent of the Chief Minister or any other politician. Chief Minister Manohar Parikar is high handedly interfering in the day to day administration. This behavior is neither permissible nor acceptable.

The bureaucracy should be be allowed to function independent and free of political interference. The rule of law requires government officials to solely comply with the law at all times. Every government official should vow not to succumb to illegal political orders and to always do what is right while functioning strictly in accordance with law. Government officials who bow and bend to the politicians in power have no right to be in public service being paid by the State exchequer.

MINISTER DESIGNATE ALINA SALDANHA.

 By Aires Rodrigues


On 8th June she will be Minister Alina Saldanha. The long wait for the red beacon may have been a blessing in disguise enabling her to be groomed for the position. The Chief Minister has reportedly planned to give her some "lighter portfolios". One imagines there were only lucrative portfolios! If merit and experience was a criteria Avertano Furtado would have been the Sports Minister and Vishnu Wagh would have bagged the Art & Culture portfolio. Regardless of what portfolio Alina gets she will have to learn to stand on her own feet. Depending on family and friends to run and manage the show by proxy would be improper. Besides, she will also not be able to ride the Matanhy sympathy wave for too long.


For Alina though, being a novice in politics will not be strenuous as long as she keeps in tune with her Master’s voice. The current government being a one-man show by the CM Mr. Manohar Parrikar, most Ministers have been reduced to mere figure heads with no role or powers, merely enjoying the perks and privileges that come with cabinet status. Irrespective of the portfolio assigned to her, Alina could carry on with that garbage eradication drive she had commenced in her constituency. If she can ensure that Cortalim is the first constituency to be garbage free, she will have achieved a lot. As she had claimed she would be fulfilling Matanhy’s dream of seeing Cortalim without a shred of rubbish. Manohar Parrikar may even carve out a portfolio for garbage management.