Supreme Court appoints new lokayukta for Uttar Pradesh

While strongly indicting the UP chief minister and the Allahabad high court Chief Justice for their inaction, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed Justice Virendra Singh (retd) as the Lokayukta for the state, replacing the present incumbent Justice N.K. Mehrotra (retd).

In its order, a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and N.V. Ramana said that the failure of the Constitutional authorities to comply with the orders passed by the highest court of the land is deeply regretted and has astonished us.

The bench said, “We remain unimpressed with the submissions made by senior counsel Kapil Sibal, for the state that the CM, the HC Chief Justice and the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly met on Tuesday for five hours and this morning for two hours but could not arrive at a consensus. Of the five names short-listed, there was agreement on three names and the Chief Justice has not expressed his mind.”

Pointing out that in April last the top court had directed the government to appoint a new Lokayukta in six months, the bench said this was not complied with. Subsequently, another order was passed in July 2015 giving one month time and this was also not complied with. Finally on December 14, this court directed that the appointment of the Lokayukta should be made in two days and even this order went unheeded.

In these circumstances the bench said, “We therefore proceed to exercise our inherent power under Article 142 of the Constitution (power to do substantive justice) by appointing Justice Virendra Singh as the Lokayukta immediately.” The bench sought compliance report by December 28.