Lucknow: The controversial Lokayukta Bill, which seeks to end the role of the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court in selection of Lokayukta, has now been referred to President Pranab Mukherjee by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Friday.
The Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta, Up-lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2015, has been referred to President by the Governor, a Raj Bhavan release issued here said today.
Naik, after studying the bill in detail, found that the role of the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court in selection of the Lokayukta comes to an end through this bill, whereas the Chief Justice of India has a great role in the selection of Lokpal in the central Act, it said.
“This bill appears to be contrary to the central Act and so the Governor has referred it to the President,” the release said, adding Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also been informed about it.
In the backdrop of the tussle with the Raj Bhavan over appointment of a new Lokayukta, the bill was passed by the state legislature in August last after the Governor turned down the name of Justice (retd) Ravindra Singh, recommended by the state government, for the post.
According to the bill, the new committee to recommend the Lokayukta’s name was to be headed by the chief minister and have as its members the Assembly Speaker, Leader of the Opposition and a retired judge, nominated by the committee chairperson in consultation with the Speaker.
Earlier, the selection committee included the CM, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice.
The Governor had yesterday referred two controversial bills to the President, including one to curtail powers of mayors, which led to a war of words between senior minister Azam Khan and Naik.
The two bills are Uttar Pradesh Nagar Nigam (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and UP Nagarpalika Vidhi (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
A Raj Bhavan release said that after going through both the bills, the Governor found that some provisions in the two proposed legislations were contrary to the concept of local self administration and democracy.
(With inputs from PTI)
