Ex-Chhattisgarh HC judge to take oath as Haryana Lokayukta

Though Agarwal’s name was cleared by the Haryana government but his resignation from the post of judicial member of the Kolkata bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal was pending approval with the President’s office.

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Before recommending a name for the post of Lokayukta, the name has to be cleared by a committee comprising the Chief Minister, Haryana Speaker and leader of opposition. Also, a consent is also required from the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice.

Last month, Haryana Statute Review Committee headed by retired Justice Iqbal Singh had submitted its report to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar recommending more powers to Lokayukta by carrying out amendments to the Haryana Lokayukta Act, 2000 which was being advocated by the former Lokayukta.

Agarwal was elevated as Chhattisgarh High Court judge on March 31, 2009, and retired on July 23, 2014. Later, he was appointed as judicial member of the Armed Forces Tribunal bench at Guwahati on July 3, 2015. Thereafter, on November 23, 2015, he took over the charge of judicial member at the Kolkata regional bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal.

A native of Chhattisgarh, he completed his Masters degree in Economics and LLB from MES College, Bilaspur. He enrolled as an advocate in 1979 and practiced law at District Court, Bilaspur and High Court at Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur. He was later designated as Senior Advocate and had also served as Deputy Advocate General from 2005 till his elevation as Judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court in March 2009.