Process has begun to fill up Lokayukta vacancy, HC told

The AAP government on Thursday told the Delhi High court that it is in the process to fill up the post of Lokayukta, which has been lying vacant since November 2013.

“We are in the process of finalising names for the appointment of Lokayukta. Names will by forwarded to LG, soon thereafter we will appoint the Lokayukta,” Delhi government’s standing counsel Gautam Narayan told Justice V P Vaish.

Filing an affidavit on an application of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijender Gupta that despite being Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, he was not consulted on the issue, the government told the court that all statutory authorities would be consulted in compliance of the statutory mandate. During the hearing, a controversy took place over who will represent LG Najeeb Jung in a case as counsel for both the Central and Delhi governments claimed they were authorised to represent him. Narayan said that the LG has not issued any notification and as per Delhi government notification, the state government counsel has to represent Jung.

Justice Vaish, after seeing that issue could not be resolved, directed both the counsel to place on record the notifications by which they have been authorised to represent the LG. The court has now posted the matter for September 17.