Supreme Court Orders Jharkhand's Leading Opposition Party to Appoint LoP Within Two Weeks

Ranchi, Jan 7 (NationPress) The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, issued a significant order while addressing a petition concerning the long-overdue appointments of the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners in Jharkhand.

During the hearings, the state government informed the apex court that the lack of a Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly had hindered the selection committee's meeting necessary for finalizing these vital appointments. The LoP plays a crucial role in this committee, but the position has been unfilled since the Jharkhand Assembly elections because the largest opposition party, the BJP, has been unable to choose its leader in the House.

In reply, the Supreme Court directed the largest opposition party in the Jharkhand Assembly to appoint one of its elected representatives as the Leader of the Opposition, who will also serve on the selection committee. The bench mandated that this appointment must be finalized within two weeks.

“The Selection Committee shall begin the selection process immediately after that, meaning in the third week from today, and must strive to conclude the selection process within 6 weeks thereafter. The appointments shall be finalized within one week of receiving recommendations from the Selection Committee,” the court stated.

Upon the nomination, the Supreme Court indicated that the selection committee will promptly commence the appointment process for the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners.

Additionally, the court instructed the Chief Secretary of Jharkhand to submit an affidavit confirming adherence to this directive.

This order follows a previous ruling where the Supreme Court mandated the Chief Secretary to ensure that the process of appointing Information Commissioners began within four weeks, accompanied by an affidavit of compliance.

The legal representative for the Jharkhand government argued that the absence of a quorum in the selection committee had contributed to the delays in appointments. The state’s supplementary affidavit disclosed that an advertisement for the posts was published in June 2024. However, the lack of a Leader of Opposition since the assembly elections has obstructed the process.

Meanwhile, the petitioner noted that the State Information Commission in Jharkhand has been inactive since 2020, with numerous positions, including that of the Chief Information Commissioner, remaining unfilled. This situation has led to thousands of pending RTI-related cases, significantly affecting transparency and governance in the state.