UP Lokayukta Row: SC Stays Justice Virendra Singh Appointment; Oath Ceremony Suspended

19 December, Lucknow

The appointment of Justice Virendra Singh as the new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh has been stayed by the Supreme Court just hours before the oath ceremony.The apex court, which appointed Justice (Retd) Virendra Singh as the Lokayukta, has stayed the appointment on a PIL challenging the appointment.

Now the appointment would be cleared after the hearing in the case next month by the regular bench. Due to the stay, UP Governor Ram Naik has postponed the oath ceremony of Singh, scheduled for tomorrow morning at Rajbhawan.

According to Raj Bhawan sources here today, state Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan informed the Principal Secretary to the Governor Juthika Patnakar to postpone the oath ceremony in view of the SC stay on the appointment. “The Raj Bhawan acted as per the government’s advice,” sources said.

Justice Singh was appointed by Supreme Court on Wednesday last after a three-member committee comprising Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the opposition in the assembly Swami Prasad Maurya and Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court D Y Chandrachud could not reach to any consensus on any name.

However, the dispute over the appointment continued as the Allahabad Chief Justice shot off a letter to the Supreme Court questioning the integrity of the appointed Justice Singh as he is closely related with the ruling Samajwadi party.