Chief minister Arjun Munda (left) and Governor Syed Sibtey Razi(centre) at the swearing-in ceremony in Raj Bhavan. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, July 30: Retired Justice Hari Shankar Prasad was today sworn in as the chief information commissioner of Jharkhand along with six information commissioners.

During a ceremony in the Raj Bhavan, Governor Syed Sibtey Razi administered the oath of office to Prasad, a former Jharkhand High Court judge, and information commissioners Ram Vilas Gupta, Prafulla Kumar Mahto, Shristidhar Mahto, Harishchandra Patar Munda, Gangotri Kujur and Baijnath Mishra.

Chief Minister Arjun Munda, agriculture minister Satyanand Bhokta, judges of the high court and senior state officials were present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Though the Raj Bhavan has not announced the background of the commissioners, The Telegraph has learnt that Gupta was the state?s law secretary before resigning a couple days ago. Earlier, he was the registrar of the high court and a district judge. The native of Khagaria district in Bihar is based in Ranchi.

Praffula Kumar, Shristidhar and Harishchandra Patar hail from Singhbhum while Kujur is based in Ranchi.

Sources close to the chief minister said Harishchandra Patar was an advocate in the Chaibasa civil court and is closely associated to the chief minister.

Kujur has been associated with the women?s wing of the BJP. Party sources said she was a postgraduate in sociology. Mishra, hailing from Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, was the resident editor of a vernacular being published from Ranchi.

A committee headed by the chief minister created the information panel.

Leader of Opposition Sudhir Mahto and finance minister Raghuvar Das were also members of the committee. All hail from Singhbhum.

The chief minister said a nodal officer has been appointed to facilitate the ?smooth execution? of the Right to Information Act and the appointment of information officers in all departments will be completed soon.