SC asks state to ‘promptly’ appoint Lokayukta members

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has taken note that the Meghalaya government has appointed its Lokayukta and directed the state to “promptly” appoint judicial and non-judicial members.
Ranjan Mukherjee, the counsel appearing for the state government, said on Wednesday Justice Pranoy Kumar Musahary, a retired judge of the Gauhati High Court has been appointed as the chairperson of the Lokayukta and he has assumed office.
“Such of the functions that can be carried out by the chairperson under the (The Lokpal and Lokayuktas) Act may now be undertaken,” he said.
Mukherjee submitted that though the names of judicial and non-judicial members have been recommended by the search committee, its term has expired and the process of revalidating the reconstitution of the panel is currently on. “Once the same is complete, appointment of judicial and non-judicial members will be completed,” he said.
To this, the court said the term of the search committee may be extended but the matter will be considered after three months.
The case came up in the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that took a stern view of the non-appointment of the anti-corruption ombudsman in some states.
In March, the court had asked 11 states, including Meghalaya, to explain the five-year delay in appointing the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokayukta and Uplokayukta.
The court had found that several states have not moved a muscle to appoint Lokayuktas despite the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act coming into existence in 2013. The apex court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.