Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government to submit a progress report within six weeks regarding the appointment of the state's Lokayukta (anti-corruption ombudsman) and its panel members. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay, issued the directive during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ravi Shankar Joshi, a resident of Gaulapar, seeking the immediate operationalisation of the anti-graft body.
Search Committee Constituted
During Tuesday's proceedings, the state government informed the bench that, in compliance with earlier judicial mandates, a search committee was officially constituted on June 4. The committee is chaired by retired High Court Justice Alok Kumar Verma and has been tasked with vetting and selecting candidates for the Lokayukta and its accompanying members. The High Court modified its previous orders to give the state six weeks to show concrete progress made by this newly formed search committee.
Salaries of Employees Released
In a notable modification of its previous directive, the High Court also ordered the immediate release of halted salaries for nine employees currently posted at the vacant Lokayukta office. The state government had requested this amendment, pointing out that these administrative employees had not been paid because a previous court order had inadvertently frozen the department's payroll funds. The court ruled that their timely wages must now be processed.
PIL Highlights Lack of Action
The PIL contends that the state government has failed to appoint a Lokayukta despite an annual expenditure of ₹2-₹3 crore on the institution. It further highlights that while Lokayuktas in states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh are taking stringent action against corruption, Uttarakhand is plagued by numerous scams, forcing even the most minor matters to be brought before the High Court. The court has scheduled the next hearing for six weeks from now.
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About the Author: Pankul Sharma, a journalist based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, with over 22 years of experience in journalism. Currently serves as a special correspondent, covering the Judiciary (High Court, NGT, Consumer Commission, and Tribunals), Archaeology, Culture, and Industry.
