Government keeps CIC resignation in ?suspended animation?

In spite of putting in his papers more than a month ago, chief information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah continues in office because there is no provision in the rules of the central information commission for the appointment of a head who can take charge on a temporary basis.

Habibullah has no option but to remain CIC until the government finds a replacement. ?I cannot move until I have been replaced. Until and unless the committee which is to select a new CIC meets and decides on my replacement, I cannot do anything about it,? Habibullah said in a telephone conversation from Srinagar where he is currently touring.

Although he still had a year to go, Habibullah resigned as CIC last month after being offered an assignment in Jammu and Kashmir by chief minister Omar Abdullah. Asked about the status of his resignation, he said: ?As far as I know, it is in suspended animation?.

The chief information officer is appointed by a committee comprising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, leader of Opposition LK Advani and a Union minister nominated by the Prime Minister ? in this case, law minister Veerappa Moily. A meeting of the panel is yet to be convened as the government is still undecided on whether to get Habibullah?s replacement from within the bureaucracy or outside it.

RTI activist groups have been building up pressure for the appointment of someone outside the system so that accountability is higher and government?s control over information is not excessive.

Civil society groups have proposed the name of former police officer Kiran Bedi though UPA managers have ruled it out, contending that this virtually amounted to blackmail and undermined the autonomy of the three-member panel that is tasked with choosing the CIC.

On Monday, a pressure group led by activist Aruna Roy met Union minister of state Prithviraj Chavan, who heads the ministry of personnel and training that looks after the central information commission. Among other things, they discussed the scope of amendments in the RTI act to ensure greater transparency and accountability in the legislation.