With the Supreme Court deadline staring in its face, the Uttar Pradesh government tonight held a marathon meeting to shortlist the name of a new Lokayukta.
The meeting of the three-member committee comprising Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court DY Chandrachud and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Swami Prasad Maurya started at 6 PM and was on well past 10 PM.
The present ombudsman Justice N K Mehtrotra has already spent nine years in office.
The emergency meeting was held a day after the apex court pulled up the state government for not appointing Lokayukta in the state despite its directions and ordered compliance by December 16, saying it seemed that appointing authorities have their "own agenda".
"Why do you not appoint the Lokayukta? Why has our order not been complied with? Why can't the Chief Minister, the Governor and the Chief Justice (of the High Court) sort this out?" the bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and N V Ramana said.
"We don't mince words. It seems, each one of you have your own agenda... You make the appointment by Wednesday," it said, fixing the petitions on the issue for hearing on December 16.
Earlier in the day, the Governor told reporters that the state will have a new ombudsman tonight as a meeting had been convened this evening to hammer out the issue.
The last meeting of the selection committee held on September 27 to appointment new Lokayukta remained inconclusive with High Court Chief Justice questioning the validity of the process after a Bill was passed in the state assembly.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was of the view that as a Bill was passed in the state assembly, deciding name of Lokayukta could amount to its contempt. He suggested to take a legal opinion for the same.
The UP Assembly had passed the Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta and Up-Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2015, to amend Lokayukta Act dropping Allahabad High Court Chief Justice from the selection committee.
