Guwahati: Assam Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has stepped down from his post following a series of Right to Information (RTI) applications reportedly seeking details related to his brother, Shyamkanu Mahanta, one of the key organisers of the event where singer Zubeen Garg was to perform before his death.
Mahanta submitted his resignation on the recommendation of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. His move comes as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the popular singer’s death in Singapore on September 19.
So far, seven individuals have been arrested in the case, including event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta; Garg’s cousin and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sandipan Garg; the singer’s manager, Siddharth Sharma; two band members, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta; and two private security personnel, Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya. All seven are currently in judicial custody till November 11.
In a detailed Facebook post, Bhaskar Mahanta said his resignation was guided by “conscience and fairness,” explaining that he did not want his position to raise any public doubts if RTI requests concerning his brother came before the Information Commission.
Appointed as CIC on April 5, 2023, Mahanta highlighted his efforts to digitise the commission’s operations, introducing online applications, enabling video-conference hearings, improving case disposal, and taking action against the misuse of the RTI Act for intimidation or blackmail. These reforms, he said, were aimed at making the system more transparent and citizen-friendly.
However, he noted that a “special situation” had now arisen.
“When the controversy involving my brother surfaced, I made it clear to myself that if any RTI was filed regarding him, my position should not cast even the smallest shadow of doubt in the public mind,” he stated.
Mahanta added that although an RTI applicant had personally expressed trust in his integrity while seeking information about government funding of cultural events linked to Shyamkanu Mahanta, he decided to step down in keeping with his earlier resolve.
“Even if I had remained in office, the applicant would have received the correct information. But I felt it necessary to ensure that there should be no room for misunderstanding,” he wrote.
With IANS inputs