Nripotee Ranjan Das v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

28.07.2022 Ct. 5 D/L 6 ab WPA 14698 of 2022 Nripotee Ranjan Das -VsThe State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Siddhartha Banerjee, Ms. Sreyashi Chatterjee .... for the petitioner Mr. Srijan Nayek, Ms. Rituparna Maitra ... for the WBSEDCL Mr. Raja Saha, Ms. Arpita Saha, Mr. Sanjay Mukherjee ... for the West Bengal Information Commission Ms. Chaitali Bhattacharya, Mr. Subhendu Roy Chowdhury ... for the State The petitioner complains of the alleged inaction on the part of the Second Appellate Authority under The Right to Information Act, 2005.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the information sought for was rejected under Section 8(1)(j) of the Act.

The West Bengal Information Commission, State and WBSEDCL are represented.

Learned counsel appearing for the West Bengal Information Commission submits that the office of the

Second Appellate Authority, namely the Chief Information Commissioner is lying vacant since June, 2022 and that the designated Committee will appoint the office-bearer soon.

Although, this Court is of the view that the information sought for, particularly, the first of the two queries has been primarily answered by the petitioner himself in the writ petition, the designated Committee is requested to look into the appointment of the officebearer of the Second Appellate Authority under the Act with expedition. This Court assumes that similar matters may be pending for consideration of the Second Appellate Authority and this matter should be disposed of as expeditiously as possible. The West Bengal Information Commission shall communicate the appointment of the office-bearer to all interested parties as soon as the office-bearer is appointed.

It is made clear that this Court has not heard the parties on merits.

WPA 14698 of 2022 is disposed of in terms of the above.

( Moushumi Bhattacharya, J.)