Push for disability certificate disclosure of govt employees
Pune: The State Information Commission (SIC) has issued a fresh reminder to the chief secretary to disclose disability certificates of employees recruited under the disability quota on departmental websites as its earlier directive issued three months ago remains unimplemented.
State chief information commissioner Rahul Pande told TOI that despite his letter to the chief secretary (CS) directing transparency in govt recruitments through public disclosure of disability certificates, the govt has failed to comply with the order. "I asked the CS regarding the implementation of the order and the state SIC is awaiting a report on the same. It is mandatory for all departments to do so as it ensures transparency in the recruitment process," Pande said.
The Amravati bench of the SIC passed directions last year regarding full disclosure of disability certificates submitted by job seekers, and the CS was then requested to issue necessary administrative instructions, but no such direction seems to have been issued pursuant to the SIC order, he added.
The state CIC has now sent a reminder to the chief secretary seeking issuance of necessary instructions to all departments about suo motu disclosure of disability certificates and details of persons appointed through the disability quota in every govt office.
Pande emphasised that the state SIC has called for maximum voluntary disclosure, explaining that proactive publication of such information would significantly reduce the burden of repetitive RTI applications while promoting transparency in govt recruitment processes.
"The purpose of suo-motu disclosures under Section 4 is to place large amount of information in the public domain on a proactive basis to make the functioning of public authorities more transparent and also to reduce the need for filing individual RTI applications," the commission's directive stated.
He added that rising complaints about fake and bogus certificates prompted this suggestion and it is necessary that such documents are disclosed for public audit and ensure that the rightful claimant gets public employment.
The transparency initiative forms part of the broader RTI framework that seeks to promote accountability in governance. The RTI Act's preamble underlines the need for setting out a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.
TOI sent a WhatsApp message to CS Sujata Saunik regarding the directive, but a response from her was awaited till the time of going to the press.
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