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Bollywood 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 police officer, Kiran Bedi, as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC).
The other persons who have put forward the same request to the Prime Minister include Zee television owner Subhash Chandra and Magsaysay awardees Arvind Kejriwal and Sandeep. They have also written letters addressed to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi as well as BJP chief L K Advani with the same request.
The CIC post is currently vacant as the former Central Information Commission chief Wajahat Habibullah had quit the post for taking charge as the head of the Jammu and Kashmir information commission.
A new CIC is likely to be chosen this week by a committee comprising of Manomhan Singh, Advani and Law Minister M Veerappa Moily.
The other candidates who will be in the race include M M Ansari and AN Tiwari, who are presently commissioners in the Central Information Commission.
Advocating Kiran Bedi's appointment, Kejriwial said: "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.
