By: Khumanthem Dhanachandra
Imphal Sept 10:
While Chief Minister N Biren Singh professes that a corruption-free Manipur is his primary goal, his actions appear to diverge from his words. Despite his claims, the state government has not appointed a State Chief Information Commissioner for the Manipur Information Commission for the past four years. For the past four years, the position of State Chief Information Commissioner has remained vacant.
The Government of Manipur’s Department of personnel and Administrative Reforms issued a notification on September 25, 2021 for the appointment of a State Chief Information Commissioner and one State Information Commissioner but has yet to fill the vacancies after nearly two years of notification.
As per information obtained by Imphal Times, the State Information Commission is currently operating with only one in-charge State Chief Information Commissioner, which has caused cases to be delayed for at least one month for the next hearing date from the date of hearing, causing delays in receiving information.
According to sources, the current State Chief Information Commissioner’s term will end in October 2023. If the government does not designate an information commissioner by the end of October 2023, the state information commission will be defunct. RTI applicants will be unable to access information if the commissions collapse.
RTI (Right to Information) is an effective instrument for combating corruption and increasing transparency in government operations. It gives citizens access to information and allows them to hold public authorities responsible, fostering good governance and decreasing corruption. Corruption and RTI are tightly intertwined.
RTI provides citizens with the legal right to obtain information from public authorities, promoting transparency and accountability in government operations. Corruption, on the other hand, thrives in an environment of concealment and obscurity.
Corrupt officials may refuse or withhold information to hide their wrongdoing. RTI helps to prevent such behaviour by giving citizens access to information and holding public authorities accountable for their actions.
Furthermore, RTI can be utilized to expose corruption by presenting evidence of public funds theft, fraudulent activities, and other corrupt practices. People can use this information to sue corrupt officials and seek justice.
The reason why the Commissioner of Information Commission has not been appointed despite several appointments being made to vacant posts in various departments is unknown. This suggests that the government is not sincere about fighting corruption, in some way.
Chief Minister N. Biren’s commitments on corruption need to be backed by tangible actions. After all, actions speak louder than words, and what’s truly required now is decisive action, not mere declarations.
