JOIN USGovernor Vajubhai Vala has given his assent to the appointment of the chief information commissioner and four information commissioners.
Accordingly, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on Thursday notified the appointments. The appointments were finalised by a select committee comprising Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra and Opposition leader in Assembly, Jagadish Shettar. The chief information commissioner and information commissioners have a tenure of five years or have to retire on attaining 65 years of age. They get salary and other facilities on a par with a high court judge.
IAS officer D N Narasimha Raju, who is serving as Additional Chief Secretary to the chief minister, has been appointed Chief Information Commissioner. He is due for retirement from the service in April this year. He would now have to resign to assume the new post. Raju belongs to Other Backward Class, Sadara. The information commissioners are - K M Chandregowda, retired KAS officer, who hails from H Kodihalli, Mandya, and a Vokkaliga (Gangatka). He retired from service in 2013 and is a resident of Mysuru, the home district of Siddaramaiah. Suchetana Swaroop, who had worked as a journalist with
Prajavani, has been in the teaching field for many years. He hails from K R Nagar and resides in Mysuru. He belongs to the Kuruba community (OBC), to which Siddaramaiah also belongs.
B G Vijayakumar, an advocate by profession, hails from Shikaripur of Shivamogga district. He is related to Minister T B Jayachandra. He is a Vokkaliga (Kunchatiga). N P Ramesh, who belongs to Mulabagal in Kolar, is a senior manager in Kaveri Grameena Bank. The banker with 30 years of experience belongs to the Ganiga caste (OBC).