New Delhi: Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah is likely take over as head of the first Information Commission of militancy torn Jammu and Kashmir by the end of this month.
Habibullah, a retired IAS officer from the J&K cadre, became the first chief of the transparency watchdog -- Central Information Commission -- in 2005, and he is positively "considering" a proposal of the state government to head its recently constituted Information Commission.
"I have received an offer that is correct. They (J&K government) are enforcing a new Act and under that they have offered me the post of State Chief Information Commissioner.
"It's an offer from the Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah) but I cannot accept any offer as the Chief Information Commissioner. I will have to resign and then only I can accept it," Habibullah said.
The Chief Information Commissioner, who received the offer a few days back, has also sent his acceptance letter to the state government subject to acceptance of his resignation as CIC by President Pratibah Patail, official sources said.
However, 64-year-old Habibullah said he was yet to take a decision on the matter but it is likely that he puts in his papers by the end of this month or early next month.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, October 04, 2009, 12:42