HC reserves order on appointment of Lokayukta in Delhi

The Delhi High Court today reserved its verdict on a plea seeking the status of appointment of Delhi's Lokayukta, a post lying vacant since June last year.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw kept its decision pending after the petitioner and the Centre concluded their arguments.
"Had there been a Lokayukta here, then it (petition) would have gone to him," the bench said and inquired about the steps to appoint the Lokayukta.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Centre, said that efforts are being made to revive the office of Lokayukta in Delhi.

Besides seeking appointment of Lokayukta, the PIL alleged that the legislator from Okhla constituency Asif Mohd Khan faced 17 criminal cases, most of which were of assault on government officials and was encroaching upon land belonging to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and pending in the court of law.
The petition had said the legislator was misusing the MLA LAD fund for beautification of a graveyard in Batla House area.

Earlier, the court on September 10 had directed the ASG to take instructions from the Ministry of Urban Development on the appointment.
Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin's five-year tenure ended on June 5 last year.

The court direction came on a PIL, which sought direction to the Centre and Delhi government for extension of Sarin's tenure till formation of a new government in the national capital, in order to adjudicate pending further inquiries against the public functionaries.