Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court on Monday was informed by the state govt that the name of the candidate to be appointed as Lokayukta will be sent for final affirmation to the office of the governor within a week from Monday.A division bench of Chief Justice M S Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar were hearing a public interest litigation filed by Raj Kumar on the appointment of Lokayukta and the heads of other constitutional bodies in the state which are lying vacant for the past couple of years.The counsel for the govt further informed the high court that the state selection committee had forwarded certain names of candidates to be appointed as chief information commissioner and information commissioners to the office of the governor.However, the governor has returned the list to be reconsidered by the selection committee.The panel will once again scrutinise and make changes in the list if required. The court while directing the govt to expedite the process for appointment of the Lokayukta and other constitutional heads will again hear the matter on April 23.In course of hearing, the petitioner, Raj Kumar, had earlier informed the court that the post of Lokayukta, chairman of state human rights commission, state chief information commissioner and information commissioners as well as other constitutional posts are lying vacant for more than three years. The govt has not made any appointments nor shortlisted candidates for holding such offices, the petitioner had said.The petitioner had mentioned that in absence of chairpersons of offices, the common people are suffering and their problems are not being redressed. Kumar also mentioned in his petition that more than 30,000 applications under the RTI Act are pending for post of information commissioners falling vacant.
