UP governor Ram Naik refuses to appoint Akhilesh Yadav government choice as Lok Ayukta

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik has rejected the Akhilesh Yadav government’s choice of Lok Ayukta, justice raveendra Singh. While returning the appointment file to the state government the governor said that Singh was unsuitable for the post and suggested that the state government propose a few other names after following due procedures and consultations laid down by the Supreme Court. He said that the Governor was not bound by the Cabinet’s decision on appointing a Lok Ayukta.

Naik sent a letter to the CM, the leader of opposition and the chief justice of the Allahabad high court — the three constitutional authorities who select a Lok Ayukta — stating that they should send a new name other than that of Justice Raveendra Singh to be appointed Lok Ayukta.

The governor said that the state government did not follow the constitutional requirement of holding discussions before recommending the name of Justice Raveendra Singh.

According to Opposition leader Swami Prasad Maurya, the three-member committee did not meet to agree on the name of Justice Raveendra Singh, Naik said. Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud had noted the ‘unsuitability’ of Justice Singh for the post, as he was seen close to the ruling party, the governor alleged.

The state government did not react to the letter but Samajwadi Party general secretary Naresh Agarwal said that it seemed that Raj Bhavan was becoming a political office. He said that there seemed a deliberate attempt to malign the state government by the Raj Bhavan, on the orders of the Union government.