HC notice to Delhi government on non-appointment of Lokayukta

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued <g data-gr-id="16">notice</g> to the AAP government in Delhi on a plea seeking directions to fill up the post of <g data-gr-id="17">lokayukta</g>, which has been lying vacant since November 2013.

Justice Rajiv <g data-gr-id="15">Shakdher</g> also issued <g data-gr-id="14">notice</g> to the Centre, lieutenant governor of Delhi and chief minister and sought their respective responses by July 24.

Hearing the plea filed by Sat Prakash Rana, a former legislator, the court asked <g data-gr-id="18">government</g> to fill the post “as soon as possible”. “The quicker you (Delhi government) do, the better it would be,” the court said.

The Delhi government counsel told the court that to fill the post of <g data-gr-id="19">lokayukta</g>, the Centre’s nod was needed. The petitioner told the court that though AAP government assumed charge on February 14, it has not yet taken any steps for the appointment of the <g data-gr-id="21">lokayukta</g> and <g data-gr-id="20">uplokayukta</g> here, even after a lapse of 18 months. The plea sought “immediate appointment” of <g data-gr-id="22">lokayukta</g> saying the non-appointment is “adding to the pendency of cases and, more importantly, has blocked a legal right of the residents of Delhi”.