NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed former Allahabad high
court judge Justice Sanjay Misra as Uttar Pradesh lokayukta and
recalled its earlier order by which it had appointed Justice (Retd)
Virendra Singh as the state's ombudsman.
A bench of Justices Rajan Gogoi and Prafulla C Pant recalled its earlier order after the Allahabad HC Chief Justice questioned the credentials of Justice Singh. The court said the appointment was made on the basis of "inaccurate" statement of the UP government that the CJ had approved Justice Singh's name.
The Supreme Court had on December 16 appointed Justice Singh after the state government failed to appoint lokayukta during the last 19 months despite its repeated orders.
The court picked up the name of Justice Singh out of five names proposed by the UP government.
A day after the SC order, chief justice of Allahabad HC Justice DY Chandrachud raised objections over the state government's decision to place Singh's name before the apex court.
In a letter written to UP governor Ram Naik, he had said that it had been done despite the chief minister's assurance that Jusice Singh's name would not be forwarded. Admitting that the court was misled by the state government, the bench recalled its order and termed it unfortunate that the CM and HC chief justice failed to sort out their differences on the appointment of lokayukta.
"We are persuaded to hold that our order appointing Justice Virendra Singh (Retd) as lokayukta was on the basis of the statement made on behalf of the state of Uttar Pradesh which now appears to be somewhat inaccurate. The picture that emanates from the above narration of facts is hazy, unclear and uncertain, and we are left in serious doubt as to whether the constitutional/statutory functionaries or at least two of them had, at all, agreed on any name or names," the bench said.
Selection of lokayukta is done by a high-powered committee comprising the CM, the chief justice of HC and the Leader of Opposition and the appointment is done by the governor.
Source: TNN
A bench of Justices Rajan Gogoi and Prafulla C Pant recalled its earlier order after the Allahabad HC Chief Justice questioned the credentials of Justice Singh. The court said the appointment was made on the basis of "inaccurate" statement of the UP government that the CJ had approved Justice Singh's name.
The Supreme Court had on December 16 appointed Justice Singh after the state government failed to appoint lokayukta during the last 19 months despite its repeated orders.
The court picked up the name of Justice Singh out of five names proposed by the UP government.
A day after the SC order, chief justice of Allahabad HC Justice DY Chandrachud raised objections over the state government's decision to place Singh's name before the apex court.
In a letter written to UP governor Ram Naik, he had said that it had been done despite the chief minister's assurance that Jusice Singh's name would not be forwarded. Admitting that the court was misled by the state government, the bench recalled its order and termed it unfortunate that the CM and HC chief justice failed to sort out their differences on the appointment of lokayukta.
"We are persuaded to hold that our order appointing Justice Virendra Singh (Retd) as lokayukta was on the basis of the statement made on behalf of the state of Uttar Pradesh which now appears to be somewhat inaccurate. The picture that emanates from the above narration of facts is hazy, unclear and uncertain, and we are left in serious doubt as to whether the constitutional/statutory functionaries or at least two of them had, at all, agreed on any name or names," the bench said.
Selection of lokayukta is done by a high-powered committee comprising the CM, the chief justice of HC and the Leader of Opposition and the appointment is done by the governor.
Source: TNN
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