PIL in HC for immediate appointment of Lokayukta

New Delhi, May 11: A former BJP MLA has approached the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to fill up the post of Lokayukta, lying vacant since November 2013.

The PIL, which also includes the Centre apart from Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor as parties, has sought immediate appointment of Lokayukta.

The BJP leader, in his plea, has said non-appointment was adding to the pendency of cases and, more importantly, has blocked a legal right of residents of the national capital. He said the institution was set up to inquire into the allegations against public functionaries but the same was vacant for last 18 months.

Former legislator Sat Prakash Rana said in his plea that though AAP government assumed charge in Delhi on February 14 it has "not yet taken any step for the appointment of the Lokayukta and Uplokayukta here". The petition said "the petitioner made enquiries at the office of the Lokayukta, which was currently a functional office, and where complaints and petitions are being accepted on a daily basis".

"That in other words, public money is being spent on running the office of the Lokayukta, without there being any Lokayukta to justify the expenditure. This amounts to a significant waste of public money, for which the Delhi government and the LG are squarely responsible."

It also said that in view of the importance of Lokayukta, the "inaction" by Arvind Kejriwal government and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung for 18 months is "astounding" and a "clear reflection of the lack of respect" they have for existing laws and democratic institutions. Rana said that the "office of the Lokayukta has been made a pawn in a political game" and the government "does not wish" to fill the vacancy.

On September 26 last year, the Delhi High Court had, while hearing a different PIL on same issue, asked the LG to initiate the process to fill the post of Lokayukta saying the statutory provisions make it mandatory on the part of the state to ensure that the post is filled up "without any delay".

PTI