The Andhra Pradesh government has taken decisive action to strengthen its transparency framework. It has officially appointed key officials to the state Information Commission under the Right to Information Act of 2005. This move fills crucial vacancies that had persisted for months.
Ending a Leadership Vacuum
The State Information Commission has operated without a formal head since October of last year. This followed the retirement of the former chief, R M Basha. Since the law does not allow for an acting chief information commissioner, the existing commissioners have been working independently. Commissioners Chavali Suneel, Rehana Begum, and Alladi Uday Bhaskar Reddy have managed their duties without central supervision during this period.
The New Appointees and Their Backgrounds
The government named Vajja Srinivasa Rao as the new State Chief Information Commissioner. A senior advocate from Guntur city, Rao has a long-standing association with the Telugu Desam Party's legal cell. He is recognized for handling numerous legal cases for the party over many years.
Four individuals received appointments as State Information Commissioners. The list includes Paravada Simhachalam Naidu, Sarath Chandra Kalyana Chakravarthy Vattikutti, Vonteru Ravi Babu, and Adenna Gajula. Notably, all appointees are legal experts with connections to the TDP, which leads the current NDA government in the state.
Profiles of the New Commissioners
Paravada Simhachalam Naidu serves as a public prosecutor in the Visakhapatnam district court. He brings significant experience in criminal prosecution and general legal practice to his new role.
Sarath Chandra Kalyana Chakravarthy Vattikutti originates from the Mangalagiri Assembly constituency in Guntur district.
Vonteru Ravi Babu is an advocate from Kadapa district. He spent several years as part of the TDP's legal team.
Adenna Gajula hails from Ananthapuram district and is also an advocate. She has been actively involved with the TDP, contributing to both legal and organizational work.
Terms and Expectations
The appointments become effective from the date each appointee assumes charge. According to official orders, the Chief Information Commissioner and the Commissioners will serve for a term of three years from that date. Their tenure will end earlier if they reach the age of sixty-five.
The Chief Commissioner holds a rank equivalent to a High Court judge. The Commissioners hold the rank of a Principal Secretary in the state government.
With these positions now filled, the Andhra Pradesh Information Commission is expected to operate at full capacity. This should lead to faster processing of RTI appeals and complaints. The move aims to enhance transparency and accountability within the state's public administration system.
