UP Lokayukta appointment: Selection panel to meet again today

With the Supreme Court deadline staring in its face, the three-member selection committee held a marathon five-hour meeting on Tuesday evening to decide the name of a new lokayukta, but failed to do so.

With the Supreme Court deadline staring in its face, the three-member selection committee held a marathon five-hour meeting on Tuesday evening to decide the name of a new lokayukta, but failed to do so.

(PTI File Photo)

Now, the committee will meet again at 9.30am on Wednesday to shortlist a name for the lokayukta’s post.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, chief justice of Allahabad high court DY Chandrachud and leader of opposition Swami Prasad Maurya are the three members of the committee.

The emergency meeting was held a day after the apex court pulled up the state government for not appointing a lokayukta in the state despite its directions and ordered compliance by December 16.

As Tuesday’s meeting -- from 6pm to 11pm -- at the chief minister’s residence failed to reach any conclusion, the state cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been deferred to December 18 to enable Yadav to attend the committee’s meeting on Wednesday morning.

A list of nearly 50 high court judges (who retired after 2011) had been formed for shortlisting a name for appointment a lokayukta. Sources said the committee has shortlisted nine names as of now.

As the committee members deliberated, senior officers of the vigilance department were asked to remain present at the chief minister’s residence to provide any information required by the committee.

The state government had earlier recommended the name of Justice (retired) Ravindra Singh for appointment as the new lokayukta. The governor, however, had refused to accept his name in view of reservations that the chief justice had expressed against his name.

While rejecting Singh’s name the governor had asked the state government to hold a meeting of three-member committee and make fresh recommendation about appointment of the new lokayukta as per the provisions of Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta and Up-Lokayukta Act 1975. The state government, however, got the Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta and Up-Lokayukta (amendment) Bill, 2015 to deprive the chief justice a role in the appointment of a new lokayukta.