Aamir, activists want Kiran Bedi as RTI watchdog

New Delhi: Actor Aamir Khan and social activist Anna Hazare are among several people who have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appoint the country's first woman IPS officer, Kiran Bedi, as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC).

Besides Hazare and Aamir Khan, Zee television owner Subhash Chandra and Magsaysay awardees Arvind Kejriwal and Sandeep Pandey have made the demand in letters to the Prime Minister.

The post of CIC fell vacant after Central Information Commission chief Wajahat Habibullah accepted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's request to head the state information commission. Habibullah resigned last month.

Arvind Kejriwal, Sandeep Pandey and Anna Hazare have also written a similar letter to Congress president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

They have also sent a similar letter to Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani.

A new CIC is likely to be chosen this week by a committee comprising Manomhan Singh, Advani and Law Minister M Veerappa Moily.

According to an official source, the strong contenders for the post included M M Ansari and A N Tiwari, who are presently commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

Advocating Kiran Bedi's appointment, Kejriwial told IANS: "Her track record is fabulous. Wherever she has been, she has proved she can deliver. She is not scared of taking strong actions where needed unlike our present commissioners. She is known for her sensitivity as well as strictness.

"The process of appointing the CIC needs to be made transparent and the government should disclose how the people whom government is considering are better than Kiran Bedi and on what parameters," he said.

Aamir Khan said in his letter: "We need a person who has demonstrated sensitivity, commitment and passion for public service. Bedi qualifies on all these fronts. She would bring honour to this post (CIC's post) and provide justice.

"Should the government appoint someone else, we would be grateful if it (is) disclosed how that person was found more suitable than Bedi," he said.