PANJIM: A petition has been filed today before the Goa State Information Commission by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Goa Governor Dr S.S. Sidhu for his failure to comply with the provisions of the Right to Information Act. The Special Secretary to the Governor Dr. N.Radhakrishnan has also been made a party in the petition.
As the Goa Governor has been claiming that he is not a public authority and does not come within the purview of the RTI Act, Adv. Aires Rodrigues had last week served a legal notice on Goa Governor giving Dr Sidhu 48 hours to furnish information under the Right to Information Act.
In his petition before the State Information Commission today, Adv. Aires Rodrigues has stated that the office of the Governor is a constitutional post within the definition of “Public authority” under section 2 (h) (a) of the RTI Act.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that as the Governor has been notified as a public authority he was bound to furnish the information sought and that the refusal was contrary to the RTI Act, unreasonable, malafide and without reasonable cause.
Adv. Rodrigues has also stated that Governor had to furnish the information sought and cannot claim not be a Public authority just because an affidavit has been filed before the High Court that he is not a public Authority.
Adv. Rodrigues has further submitted in his petition to the State Information Commission that the Governor is bound to comply with all the provisions of the Right to Information Act.
Adv. Rodrigues has in his petition also sought that the Governor of Goa be penalized in terms of section 20 of the RTI Act for not furnishing the information sought.
Adv. Aires Rodrigues by an application dated 29th November had sought from Raj Bhavan under the Right to Information Act details of action taken on the complaints made by him to the Governor of Goa against Advocate General of Goa Mr. Subodh Kantak. Adv. Rodrigues had also sought copies of noting sheets and correspondence pertaining to the processing of his complaints against the Advocate General.
In a letter to Adv. Aires Rodrigues dated 30th November, Special Secretary to Governor, Dr. N.Radhakrishnan declined to furnish the information, stating that information under RTI Act could not be furnished as the Governor of Goa is not a Public Authority and that an affidavit to this effect has been filed before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Well done Aires.Yiu have the support of all Goans.
ReplyDeleteI for sure do not believe that Dr SS Siddhu is just a "PRETTY BEARDED FACE", with a lovely "red hat" on his head, at the top of Goa`s Administrative architecture.
The word "Govern" and all its variants, in all languages means to rule.
Now I would have no issue if Dr. Siddhu, was ruling "monkeys".
Hiwever he is by all definitions Ruling the State of Goa and has been given the Title "Governor".
If ever there was Presidential Rule invoked,Dr Siddhu would be in charge, at the helm of Goa`s administration.This in itself should include his office under the RTI.
I guess this whole incident will now take many years to be resolved.
In view, that this is a serious case of mis-use of his Powers, Dr. SS Siddu should do the most Honourable thing and resign from his Post, and ,sent into retirement to where he once came from.
This is no way to be incharge of a State.
Dotor, thank you for showing the way to the Common man and the Mango Admi (Amm Admi)should wake up.
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