Mayawati Appoints Tainted Official as CIC: RTI Activists Cry Foul

RTI activists have joined hands in their fight against the appointment of a tainted IAS (PCS promotee) Ranjit Singh Pankaj as as the state’s chief information commissioner (CIC).

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is now drawing flak for appointing an alleged tainted bureaucrat

In a related development lawyer Himanshu Shekhar Awasthi, in his PIL before the Allahabad High Court has questioned Pankaj’s appointment by Mayawati Goverment citing his tainted track record.

Pankaj’s stint as district magistrate of Gorakhpur had come under cloud over appointment of 300 safai karamcharis (sweepers) not very long ago.

Awasthi has also questioned the appointment on the ground that the selection had been made in the absence of the leader of opposition in the state assembly, who was an essential part of the three member selection committee headed by the chief minister. In his PIL he has also pointed out the objections made by the Leader of Opposition Shivpal Yadav were simply ignored by the chief minister. The bench comprising Justices Rajeev Sharma and Satish Chandra fixed July 10 as the date for the next hearing.