Governor administers oath to four new Information Commissioners

Pioneer News Service
Ranchi

Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar today administered the oath of office to Anuj Kumar Sinha, Tanuj Khatri, Amulya Neeraj Khalkho and Shivpujan Pathak as State Information Commissioners of the Jharkhand State Information Commission at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Ranchi. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, and several senior administrative and police officials were present on the occasion.

Following the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan, all four newly appointed Information Commissioners—Anuj Sinha, Shivpujan Pathak, Tanuj Khatri, and Amul Neeraj Khalkho—reached the office and assumed office. On this occasion, Information Commission Joint Secretary Sudesh Kumar Verma completed the administrative formalities.

Despite the appointment of the Information Commissioners, hearings will not be held at the Commission for the time being. This is due to the absence of a Chief Information Commissioner. However, Joint Secretary Sudesh Kumar Verma stated that due to the absence of a Chief Information Commissioner, hearings in the Commission will only commence after one of the four newly appointed Information Commissioners is appointed as the Acting Information Commissioner.

He stated that the administrative and financial powers of the Acting Chief Information Commissioner will be notified by the Personnel Department. The Commission currently has approximately 23,000 pending cases, which will be heard in the future.

On this occasion, newly appointed Information Commissioner Anuj Sinha stated that the priority will be to hear pending cases in coordination with all four Information Commissioners. Additionally, online hearings will be introduced in response to changing times, ensuring that administrative officers and petitioners coming from remote areas of the state face no difficulties.

Newly appointed Information Commissioner Shivpujan Pathak stated that efforts will be made to implement the provisions of the RTI Act. It will be a significant responsibility to ensure that people benefit from the RTI Act. Newly appointed Information Commissioners Tanuj Khatri and Amul Neeraj Khalkho also emphasized the Commission’s efforts to ensure timely access to information under RTI.

Tanuj Khatri stated that if people receive information through websites and digital media at the administrative level, the number of RTI appeals will automatically decrease. Amul Neeraj Khalkho also stated that pending cases will be heard expeditiously, allowing people to benefit from the provisions of the RTI Act. The Commission has been pending thousands of appeals for a long time, which will be heard in the near future.