Ethics Committee lacks ethics.

It is quite uncalled-for the confrontation between the State Information Commission and the office of the Assembly Speaker over the issue of the copy of the video tape of the speech delivered by T M Jacob during the `no-confidence motion’ against the Oommen Chandy Ministry. The tape itself is a now laughing stock and is often aired by leading channels revealing the skin thickness of politicians.

Mr Palat Mohandas, the former Chief Secretary of the State as Chief Information Commissioner has revealed to the public the strength of the RTI act and possibly he issued the order after examining all the aspects of the issue based on RTI Act. And in that case Assembly Ethics Committee’s recommendation to summon him to the Assembly is out of the ordinary and is a direct insult to the provisions of the RTI Act.

When there are clear directions in the RTI Act on what action should be taken if an official did not comply with the order issued by the SIC, it is quite unwarranted on the part of any constitutional body to reprimand the members of the SIC. The State Information Commission has followed only rules and if there is any disagreement it should taken up with Judicial Forums in the country and should not turn out as verbal expression such as summoning the commissioners and reprimanding them. Seemingly the Ethics Committee lacks ethics.
The citizen’s right to information should stand above Assembly’s privileges.

K A Solaman