High Court seeks reply on Lokayukta appointment

The Delhi high court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, the city government and the Lieutenant Governor on a plea by BJP leader Vijender Gupta, saying the government did not consult him--despite his being Leader of Opposition--on the appointment of the Lokayukta and filed a “false and misleading” affidavit on the issue. Justice V P Vaish sought responses from the <g data-gr-id="13">Central</g> government, the Arvind Kejriwal-government and LG Najeeb Jung by September 3.

Gupta said the Delhi government, in its affidavit, told the court that it had started the consultation process on the appointment of the Lokayukta. Though the government might have sent the proposed name in a sealed cover to the chief justice, he (Gupta) was not consulted, the BJP leader said.

He said that he was part and parcel of the consultation process in the appointment of the Lokayukta as per the statute “has not been intimated with deliberate and mala fide intents”.