Supreme Court Recalls Order Appointing Former Judge Virendra Singh As UP Lokayukta: A Report

Recording its “serious doubts” over previous directive, the Supreme Court on Thursday recalled its December 16 order appointing former Allahabad High Court judge Virendra Singh as new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh. A bench led by Justice Ranjan Gogoi appointed former HC judge Sanjay Mishra in his place and asked the state government authorities to issue necessary orders without delay to notify Justice Mishra’s appointment. The court admitted that its previous order looks “somewhat inaccurate” in view of the objections raised over Singh’s name by Allahabad High Court Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud. The picture now appears to be hazy, unclear and uncertain, said the bench as it recalled its order, passed after invoking constitutional power to appoint Lokayukta for the state. The court had on December 16 invoked extraordinary constitutional power to appoint Singh as new Lokayukta after various deadlines to the state government to do so had been violated. - See more