Tripura opposition criticises CIC selection

Agartala, Jan 14 (PTI) The Leader of the Opposition inTripura assembly Ratan Lal Nath today criticised the stategovernment for unilaterally selecting the names of ChiefInformation Commissioner and Information Commissioner.

State government has appointed former chief secretaryof the state Shashi Prakash as Chief Information commissionerand Shyamalima Banerjee, former commissioner, as InformationCommissioner, an official release said today.

Nath, who is a member of the three-member committee,headed by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said he had suggestedthat those posts could be filled from retired bureaucratsliving in the state or eminent persons having deep knowledgeabout law, but the chief minister and another minister whowere also the members of the three member committee hadsuggested their names.

"Shahshi Prakash is an inefficient officer who couldnot take action against a bureaucrat who had allegedlymolested a woman is not fit for the job. Chief Ministerappointed him as Chief Information commissioner to cover upthe misdeeds of the administration and it is a clear move toindulge in nepotism," Nath told reporters.

Prakash and Banerjee, both are former IAS officersbased outside the state.