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DESPITE HC CONCERN: Government lawyers continue to get interview call
On Saturday evening, several government lawyers received calls from the state law department for interviews despite the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court expressing concerns.
Several government lawyers continued to receive calls from the state law department on Saturday evening for interview despite the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court expressing its concern over such interviews.
The interviews are reportedly to decide if the government lawyers should be retained or not.
It may be pointed out that the state government appoints government advocates, both in high courts and district courts, for representing it before the courts. These lawyers get remuneration from the state government.
Now during its second tenure, the Yogi Adityanath government is conducting interviews of government advocates it had appointed during its first five-year tenure before extending their appointment.
The office of principal secretary (law and legal remembrancer), state law department on Saturday evening called several government advocates for the interview.
The lawyers were directed to be present for a meeting at 4 pm on Monday (April 18) at the law department office at Lok Bhawan here.
According to government sources, it is planning to remove even additional advocate generals.
After formation of the Yogi government 2.0, the state government has removed one additional advocate general, one chief standing counsel, one additional chief standing counsel and a standing counsel.
A division bench of Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi had summoned chief standing counsel (CSC) JK Sinha in court on April 13 and expressed its resentment over the interviews by the law department.
However, the court had reserved its order.
“During hearing, the court had pointed out that the law department was not authorised to take interviews of government advocates,” said Amrendra Nath Tripathi, general secretary, Oudh Bar Association, Lucknow high court.
SCREENING
In these ‘screening’ interviews, advocates are being asked several questions related to writ, Indian constitution and also questions related with civil and criminal matters.
“Lawyers are being asked about their source of appointment also,” said a government advocate who had already appeared for screening interview on April 12.
COMPLAINTS
The state government has received several complaints against government advocates over not attending court proceedings, resulting in adverse orders against the government.
AG VACATES OFFICE
Advocate general Raghvendra Singh has vacated his office and has also returned the official car. The state government is in the process of appointing a new advocate general.
