Debate Erupts Over New Appointments to West Bengal Information Commission
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Synopsis
The recent appointments of two new members to the West Bengal Information Commission have sparked controversy, particularly due to the connections of one member to the police chief and the opposition's protests against evidence tampering in a high-profile case.
Key Takeaways
- Controversy surrounds new appointments.
- Sanchita Kumar is married to the police chief.
- Mriganko Mahato is a former Lok Sabha member.
- The opposition leader boycotted the meeting.
- Concerns raised over ethical implications.
Kolkata, March 19 (NationPress) A wave of controversies has emerged regarding the recent appointments of two new members to the West Bengal Information Commission, officially announced on Wednesday evening.
One of the newly appointed members is Sanchita Kumar, the spouse of the current Director General of West Bengal Police, Rajeev Kumar. She is a retired Income Tax officer who recently opted for voluntary retirement.
The second individual appointed, as revealed on Wednesday, is Mriganko Mahato, a former Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member representing the Purulia constituency.
The current State Information Commissioner is Virendra, a former Director General of West Bengal Police.
The appointments of these two members were finalized during a meeting of the appointing committee, which included Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and State Parliamentary Affairs minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.
The third committee member, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, boycotted the meeting in protest against the state's alleged interference in the investigation of the R.G. Kar rape and murder case from August of last year.
LoP Adhikari communicated his absence via a letter to the Secretary of the State Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, citing his refusal to attend as a protest against evidence tampering by certain state government officials in the R.G. Kar case.
Additionally, the Opposition BJP has raised concerns about how Mahato, as a previous Lok Sabha member, can serve on this Information Commission.
In response, the Trinamool Congress has argued that since Mahato does not maintain direct ties to the ruling party as a former legislator, there are no ethical conflicts regarding his appointment.
