PANJIM: The Goa Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on Thursday 24th March pronounce his order on whether Goa Governor Dr. Shivinder Singh Sidhu’s is a “Public Authority” under the Right to Information Act.
When the matter came up for hearing today Mr. Motilal Kenny stated that he would hear final arguments on 23rd March on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against the Goa Governor.
Adv. Aires Rodrigues today urged the Chief State Information Commissioner to expeditiously decide the matter as the violation of the law by the Head of the State was a very bad precedent and obstructing the enforcement of the RTI Act in the State.
Adv. Aires Rodrigues’s complaint against Governor Sidhu follows the stand taken by the Raj Bhavan that the Governor of Goa is not a public authority and does not come within the purview of the RTI Act.
Adv. Rodrigues had sought from Goa 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.
Adv. Aires Rodrigues in his petition before the State Information Commission 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 is a public authority the Raj Bhavan was bound to furnish the information sought and that the refusal to furnish information was unreasonable, malafide and without reasonable cause.
Hope this useless Sardar will get the taste of law.
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