Even as the Supreme Court Wednesday appointed a new Lokayukta in Uttar Pradesh, the staff crisis at the anti-corruption ombudsman’s office is far from over. In a major embarrassment for the Akhilesh Yadav government, the Supreme Court, invoking its constitutional powers, appointed former high court judge, Justice Virendra Singh, as new Lokayukta after a state panel failed to comply with its directives. With that issue resolved, the state government will now have to work to fill three crucial posts, including that of deputy Lokayukta and two others of the secretary and chief investigation officer (CIO) lying vacant for about eight months and over one year, respectively. The eight-year term of the incumbent deputy Lokayukta, Swatantra Singh got over on September 30, but he continues to hold the post. As per the law he will continue to hold the office until government appoints his successor. Under pressure from the apex court, the state government remained focused on appointing Lokayukta, though unsuccessfully, even as there was no indication of filling the posts of the secretary and the CIO at the ombudsman’s office. Outgoing Lokayukta N K Mehrotra had written to the state government to make the appointments on two posts over six months back. When contacted, he said due to the two posts remaining vacant, he was forced to go through each and every file personally as they directly reached him through investigation officers and joint secretary without first being vetted by the secretary and CIO. The post of secretary has remained vacant since Ashok Kumar Saxena’s deputation ended on April 15 while that of CIO became vacant after the deputation of Prasoon Kumar Katiyar ended in November last year. The said posts are filled by the officers from Higher Judicial Services who are sent on deputation by the Allahabad High Court. The government then makes the appointment in consultation with the Lokayukta. When contacted, principal secretary (Appointment) Rajiv Kumar said there was at present no proposal pending to fill those posts. However, an official in the Lokayukta office said the government had returned the names sent by the High Court earlier saying that a panel of names should be sent, instead of just two names, for appointment against the said posts. The matter has been pending since then, he said. Kumar, however, said he was not aware of any names being sent back to the High Court.
