Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government on Monday informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that it has proposed the name of a retired High Court judge to the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court as Goa’s third Lokayukta.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam submitted that after seeking the consent of the Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat, the proposed name of a retired High Court Judge would be sent for the approval of the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
The Division Bench Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice Bharati Dangre, which is hearing the plea by Adv Aires Rodrigues on the delay in the appointment of Lokayukta, thereafter adjourned the matter to April 26.
In January, the High Court while granting the government an extension of two months to appoint the Lokayukta had directed the State to file a compliance report.
While no official statement has been released, the government sources said retired Justice U V Bakre, who is currently heading the Goa Human Rights Commission, has been shortlisted for the post that fell vacant since September 18, 2020.
The High Court on September 23, 2020 had directed the government to take effective steps to fill up the post of Lokayukta as expeditiously as possible and in any case within three months which deadline ended on December 23, 2020.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Sudarshen Reddy was on March 8, 2013 appointed as Goa’s first Lokayukta who assumed charge on March 14, 2013. Within six months on September 18, 2013 Reddy without citing any reasons resigned from the post which was accepted by the Goa Governor on October 17, 2013.
On April 24, 2016 the Retired Chief Justice of Patna High Court Justice P K Misra was appointed as Goa’s second Lokayukta and he assumed charge on April 28, 2016 while his term ended on September 17, 2020 with the post now lying vacant for almost six months.
