A report submitted to Governor Syed Abdul Nazeer by State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) R. Mahaboob Basha on October 3, exposed several unwelcoming happenings at the Andhra Pradesh Information Commission (APIC), including alleged irregularity in attendance of the Commissioners, delay in adjudication of the cases and others. The controversy further escalated as the State Information Commissioners (SICs) could not draw full salary for the month of September, as their payslips were reportedly prepared based on their attendance register, in which they are supposed to sign.
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Mr. Basha submitted the report in response to a complaint made by Emmanuel Dasari Chakradhar Buddha, co-convener of United Forum for RTI Campaign – AP (UFRTI-AP) with the Governor. Mr. Chakradhar Buddha, while sharing the 48 pages official report, told The Hindu that, he was trying to ensure accountability at the office of APIC and hence lodged a complaint with Governor urging the status of it and he got the reply now.
The SCIC, in its report, urged the Governor to take appropriate action on the SICs to uphold the letter and spirit of the Right To Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
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Mr. Basha maintained in the report that, “APIC took all steps to achieve noble objects of ensuring transperancy and accountability, however, the demeaning, non-cooperative attitude and misbehaviour of the concerned SICs is depriving the APIC to achieve its objectives and such conduct of SICs tantamount to breach of oath.”
Mr. Basha further explained the Governor that, “to ensure punctuality, discipline and accountability in the functioning of the APIC, this office passed an administrative order on August 29, 2024, directing all the quasi-judicial authorities, including SCIC and SICs, to mark their entry and exit attendance through Facial Recognition System (FRS) and by signing in the entry and exit manual attendance register.”
He further explained that, except himself, none of the SICs working at the APIC have marked their attendance in the register. Later, the Drawing and Disbursement Officer, in consonance with the administrative order of the APIC, prepared the salary bills of SCIC and SICs as per the monthly attendance report and uploaded the same on September 25. On the very next day, on September 26, the SICs entered into the administrative section, surrounded the Superintendent and insisted him to prepare their salary bills by defying the administrative order of the APIC.
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He maintained in the letter that, “The SICs are attending the office without adhering to the timings, and remaining absent without applying for leave but drawing full salary”. Hence, the APIC introduced the manual attendance system and directed the DDO to prepare the salary bills based upon attendance report, he added.
Mr. Basha further revealed that one of the SICs Mr. Chavali Suneel intruded into his chamber, sat on the floor and instructed his office subordinate to serve food, demanding a new dining table along with chairs.
At present, there are four SICs working, including Mr. P. Samuel Jonathan, Mr. Chavali Suneel, Ms. Rehana Begum and Mr. Allareddy Uday Bhaskar Reddy.
The SICs alleged in their letter that, “The SCIC has been formulating orders with an undue intention of subjudicating, exercising undue infulence and creating a sense of fear and panic among the SICs, thereby causing unnecessary trauma and interference in the daily functioning of the SICs.”
Two of the four SICs told (on condition of anonymity) The Hindu that they were not making any comments against Mr. Basha, directly or indirectly in any platform in order to uphold the decorum of the APIC. At the same time, they maintained that, Mr. Basha is not the appointing authority of SICs and hence he could not initiate any action that adversely affects them. Stopping salary is not at all acceptable and levelling allegations against the SICs would tarnish the integrity of the APIC, they said.