Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Verma has appointed four people from different sectors as State Right to Information Commissioners (SICs). Journalists PV Srinivasa Rao, Boreddy Ayodhya Reddy, lawyers Desham Bhupal and Mohisina Parveen were approved for appointment as SICs on Monday. Immediately after that, Chief Secretary to the Government K. Ramakrishna Rao issued the appointment orders of the commissioners.
They will continue as State Right to Information Commissioners for a period of three years from the date of assuming office or till they attain the age of 65 years. It is known that IFS officer Chandrasekhar Reddy has already been appointed as the State Right to Information Commissioner. The government had initially decided to appoint seven people as RTI State Commissioners.
They are PV Srinivasa Rao, Kappara Hariprasad, Vaishnavi, KLN Prasad, Boreddy Ayodhya Reddy, Ramulu, Mohisina Parveen. A file was sent to Governor Jishnu Dev Verma proposing these a fortnight ago. After the Governor received complaints against some of them, the government finalized the names of four.
While the Governor rejected three, one was given a chance in place of another. Kappara Hariprasad was rejected because he mentioned in his application that he was the publicity secretary of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). Usually, experts in fields like law, science and technology, social work, journalism and management are appointed as RTI state commissioners.
Since Kappara Hariprasad mentioned that he was the secretary of the Congress party, his name was rejected, considering him to be an associate of the party. Vaishnavi was rejected because she did not have a social service background. It is learnt from Raj Bhavan sources that KLN Prasad was rejected as he had contested the elections in Kodad.
Even though the name of lawyer Ramulu came up for consideration, another lawyer, Desa Bhupal from Kodangal, was given a chance in his place. While the Raj Bhavan rejected the names of these three people, Bhupal was given a chance in place of Ramulu.
The names were finalised after Chief Minister Revanth Reddy went to Raj Bhavan and met the Governor explaining the names proposed. Shortly after CM Revanth Reddy gave his explanation, the appointment orders of the RTI commissioners were issued.