Lokayukta appointment: SC notice to MP govt for appointing judge who is junior to Deputy Lokayukta

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government on a petition challenging the appointment of retired judge Naresh Gupta as Lokayukta.

The petition challenges the appointment of Gupta who is junior to the deputy Lokayukta UC Maheshwari. Justice (retired) Maheshwari was already deputy Lokayukta when Gupta’s appointment was done earlier this month.

The petition also challenges the process of appointment and also the point about non-uniformity of rules of appointment of the corruption ombudsman in different states.

According to sources, senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha appearing for the petitioner argued that there was no uniformity in rules and opinion of important people was not taken before appointment of Lokayukta and deputy.

While 21 states and union territories have framed rules in this regard but in some states only chief justice of high court can take the call on appointment, while in others consulting the leader of opposition is necessary and in others speaker of assembly or chief minister are taken into confidence. The petition seeks uniform rules across India.