By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 6 Jan: State Information Commissioner Vipin Chandra assumed charge as Acting Chief Information Commissioner of the Uttarakhand Information Commission here today. He has taken over post the retirement of Acting Chief Information Commissioner Vivek Sharma on 4 January.
It may be recalled that the state’s General Administration Department had issued an order appointing Vipin Chandra to oversee the general superintendence, direction, and management of the Chief Information Commissioner’s responsibilities until the formal appointment of a new Chief Information Commissioner. The orders have been issued by Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman.
Vipin Chandra, a senior retired officer of the Indian Revenue Service, has been serving as State Information Commissioner since 3 March 2022. Prior to this, he was Chief Income Tax Commissioner in Uttarakhand.
It may be recalled that, in Uttarakhand, there has been a trend of appointing very senior retired officers, most of them being retiring Chief Secretaries directly as Chief Information Commissioners instead of promoting Information Commissioners.
Chief Information Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha was the last serving Chief Information Commissioner in Uttarakhand and he retired in May 2024. Following him, Information Commissioner Vivek Sharma has been functioning as the Acting Chief Information Commissioner, but he too retired on 4 January and now Vipin Chandra has assumed charge as Acting Chief Information Commissioner till the appointment of a Chief Information Commissioner. It remains to be seen when the government appoints a Chief Information Commissioner.
