By NewsGram Staff Writer
New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung wrote a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to send the "panel of names" of candidates for Lokayukta's post in the capital. The post has been vacant since November 2013.
In the letter, which was delivered to the Chief Minister's Office, Jung has asked Kejriwal to send the list of candidates without delay, as the final candidate for the post will only be finalised after the President's approval.
The letter stated: "In view of the provisions in law and the previous two communications from this secretariat, it is imperative that a panel of names is sent to this secretariat without any further delay, for formal consultation with the leader of opposition and chief justice of Delhi High Court."
The Delhi High Court had said earlier that it would be "better" if the government appointed the Lokayukta quickly, in reply to which the Delhi government had told the court that it was "firmly committed to implementing the Lokayukta Act."
The Delhi Lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act 1995, stats that the anti-corruption ombudsman is appointed after consultations with the chief justice of high court and the leader of opposition in the legislative assembly.
Jung said: "The above appointment has been much delayed and this secretariat reminded the government of NCT Delhi on three occasions, the latest being August 28,2015. I will proceed in the matter as soon as I have formally received a panel of names from the government of NCT Delhi."
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly and BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, also criticised the AAP government over the issue.
Gupta alleged that the government had decided to offer the post of Lokayukta to Law Commission Chairman Justice A P Shah, without discussing with him and had then taken the matter to the high court; later Justice A P Shah declined the AAP government's offer.
Gupta said that on August 22, in a communication, the CM had asked him about his choices for the post of Lokayukta; he claimed that the controversy over the government's proposal of appointing one without his consultation, had forced Kejriwal to take his opinion.