According to the documents accessed under the Right to Information Act, state government had in July this year floated a public advertisement seeking applications from eligible candidates for appointment as Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB).
As many as 36 applications were received and 18 of them were found to be fit by a high level committee headed by Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary.
However, Environment and Water Resource Minister Jayant Mallaya in an official note to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recommended a second term of three years to Dr Narmada Shukla.
The Minister also cited "good work" done by Shukla in his earlier stint as the board chief while requesting second tenure for him, the document said.
Following the recommendation, the CM approved second term to Shukla.
"The appointment is illegal and in violation of laid down procedures. The Government has floated a public advertisement for choosing the MPPCB chief. If they had to give second term to the last Chairman then why did they give the advertisement?," asked Ajay Dubey, who had filed the RTI plea to get the file notings and documents related to Shukla's appointment.
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He alleged the state government did not cancel the advertisement through a public notification which is a mandatory procedure.
Shukla, who was first appointed on November 11, 2009 for three years as MPPCB head, said his appointment has been done by the Government as per the set procedures.
Principal Secretary, Housing and Pollution, Iqbal Singh Bains through an official noting had also brought to the notice of the Chief Minister a pending inquiry by Lokayukta in connection with Shukla's first appointment as MPPCB chief.
"We demand that Shukla's appointment be cancelled and the state government look into the lapse," said Dubey.