HC raps Maha for not appointing AG since last 8 months

The Bombay High Court on Monday pulled up the Maharashtra government over the delay in appointment of a new Advocate General and sought an explanation, observing many constitutional and statutory functions of the state were suffering for the past eight months. A bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Anuja Prabhudesai said the inaction by government to appoint an Advocate General affects the cause of justice as well as members of public.

"It was high time that the government appointed a new Advocate General to represent the state," said the bench while hearing a petition filed by Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt.

"Many constitutional and statutory functions (of the government) are suffering due to the non-appointment of the Advocate General and it affects the cause of justice as well as the public," the bench remarked. The judges while noting that there was a delay in filling up the post of Advocate General called upon the state to explain the same in an affidavit within two weeks.

The court granted two weeks time, instead of a month, as prayed by the state, and directed the government to file an affidavit by December 13, by which time the new AG should be appointed.