In response to a public interest litigation filed in the Uttarakhand High Court, the state government has constituted a committee to appoint a Lokayukta. The Chief Secretary submitted an affidavit before the court, informing that the first meeting of the committee was held on 22 February 2025. The affidavit also stated that the government is proceeding with the appointment in compliance with provisions of the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act.
The division bench of Chief Justice R. Narender and Justice Ashish Naithani directed the state government to provide a clear update on the progress of the appointment by the next hearing, which is scheduled after four weeks.
The PIL was filed by Ravishankar Joshi, a resident of Gaulapar, alleging that the Uttarakhand government has been negligent in appointing a Lokayukta despite spending ₹2–3 crore annually in its name. He highlighted that while states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have active Lokayuktas fighting corruption, Uttarakhand has failed to even make an appointment despite several high-profile scams.
The petitioner also raised concerns over the lack of an independent investigative agency in the state. He pointed out that all existing investigative bodies, including the Vigilance Department, function under the control of the state police and the Chief Minister’s Office, resulting in biased probes in corruption cases.
The High Court’s intervention has renewed public hope that Uttarakhand may soon witness the appointment of a Lokayukta, paving the way for an independent anti-corruption mechanism in the state.
Focus Keyword:
Slug: lokayukta-appointment-uttarakhand-high-court-update
Meta Description:
