Comply with our order to appoint Lokayukta, SC tells UP

The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for not appointing a Lokayukta despite its earlier order, and observed that all those involved in the appointment process had their own agenda.

Apparently displeased over the way the issue of the appointment was being dragged on, a bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice N.V.Ramana observed: "Why do you not appoint the Lokayukta. Why our order has not been complied with. Why can't the chief minister, the governor and the high court chief justice sort this out."

Asking Uttar Pradesh to appoint the Lokayukta by December 16, the bench said: "We don't mince words. It seems, each one of you have an agenda."

As state Advocate General Vijay Bahadur Singh told the court that action would be taken on the matter shortly, the court retorted: "You had said this last time also."

The court's direction to the Uttar Pradesh government came during the hearing of a public interest suit by Mahander Kumar Jain and a petition by Radhakanta Tripathi seeking the appointment of Lokayukta in compliance of the court's earlier order.

The apex court by its April 24, 2014 verdict while upholding the amendment to the State Lokayukta law providing for eight year tenure of ombudsman, had directed the Uttar Pradesh government "to take all endeavours for selecting the new incumbent for the office of Lokayukta and Up-Lokayuktas as per the provisions of the act, preferably within a period of six months from today".