Goa State Information Commission

The Goa State Information Commission was established by the Government of Goa in accordance with Section 15^[1] of the Right to Information Act, 2005 vide notification dated 2 March, 2006.^[2]The official website address of Goa State Information Commission is www.gsic.goa.gov.in.

History

Goa was among the earliest states of the Union of India to enact its own State Information Act. The first states in India to enact their own State Information Acts were Tamil Nadu and Goa, in the year 1997.^[3][4] However, the scope of the Goa State Information Act was limited in the sense that information could be sought only to subserve the public purpose. Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, no reasons are needed to be given while seeking information.^[5]

Constitution of the Commission

The Government of Goa established the Goa State Information Commission vide notification dated 2 March, 2006.^[6] The Government appointed Mr. A. Venkatratnman, IAS (Retd.) as the Chief Information Commissioner and Mr. G. G. Kambli, a retired officer of the Goa Civil Services (Selection Grade) as the State Information Commission vide order dated 27 February, 2006.^[7] The Chief Information Commissioner Venkatratnam and the State Information Commmissioner Kambli were given the oath of office by the Chief Secretary, Government of Goa, on 21 March, 2006.

Initially, the Commission was provided no premises by the Government. But since matters had been filed before the Commission right since its inception, the Commission started conducting the hearing of cases at the residence of the Chief Information Commissioner in order prevent hardships to the citizens. The Commission was not provided with even a computer and the Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Venkatratnam had typed the first order of the Commission on his own personal computer. Subsequently, the Commission was provided premises at the ground floor of the Shram Shakti Bhavan, Patto Plaza, Panaji. The premises at the Shram Shakti Bhavan was bereft of proper amenities and was not adequate. This led to severe criticism by media and the citizens.^[8]

The Goa State Information Commission was finally shifted to a new and spacious location at the seventh floor of Kamat Towers at Patto Plaza, Panaji on 12 January, 2015 and the new premises was formally inaugurated at the hands of the Chief Minister of Goa, Laxmikant Parsekar.^[9][10][11] The Commission currently functions from its premises at Kamat Towers.^[12]

Emblem

The Goa State Information Commission being an autonomous institution has chosen its own emblem. The Commision's emblem consists of a record of Public Authority kept open in two palms. It signifies that the Goa Information Commission acts as a facilitator for the citizens in accessing information. To convey the meaning that both the “notings” and the correspondence are available to the citizens, the record in the emblem is depicted as open. It also conveys that under the Right to Information Act, there is transperancy in information. The palms holding the record are borrowed from the emblem of the Goa Government. The symbol between the pages denotes the propogation of information among the citizens.

The emblem bears the name of the Goa Information Commission in the Roman script and words “सूचना जनाधिकार:” in Sanskrit language (Devanagari script). The words in Devanagri script denote that information is the right of the masses.^[13]

Status of Chief and State Information Commissioners

The Chief Information Commissioner enjoys status equivalent to that of the Election Commissioner of India while the State Information Commissioner Officers enjoys status equivalent to that of the Chief Secretary to the State Government.^[14]

Composition of the Commission

The Goa State Information Commissioner consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and two State Information Commissioners. The Commission has a Secretary and an Under Secretary too, in addition with other administrative staff and court officials including clerks, stenos, peons etc. Currently, the Chief Information Commissioner is Mr. Prashant Sadashiv Prabhu Tendolkar. The two State Information Commissioners are Pratima K. Vernekar and Juino D'Souza.^[15][16]

The Secretary of the Commissioner is Irene V. Sequeira while Dasharath M. Redkar is the Under Secretary cum Registrar of the Commission.^[17]

Past Commissioners

The inaugural holders of the posts of Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner were Mr. A. Venkatratnam, IAS (Retd.)and Mr. G. G. Kambli respectively.^[18] In 2009, Motilal Sanvlo Keny was appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner.^[19][20] In 2013, Leena Mehendale IAS (Retd.) took over as the Chief Information Commissioner.^[21][22]

Afonso Araujo was appointed as the State Information Commissioner in 2009.^[23] Pradeep Padwal took over as the State Information Commissioner in 2012^[24] but had to resign within a few months of his appointment.^[25]

References