BHOPAL: Amid the on-going tussle between PHQ and Lokayukta over the appointment of officers in an anti-corruption ombudsman organisation, the state government has sought advice from the advocate general over the matter. Lokayukta police, being a special police establishment, believes that since it does not come under the jurisdictions of police headquarters, the latter cannot make any appointment in its office without taking its consent. The issue cropped up before the government recently when Lokayukta took abjection to a transfer order issued by PHQ.
State government ordered appointment of ADG Madhu Kumar in the Lokayukta, however, the organisation took abjection to it stating that the appointment was done without taking its consent. The state government was quick to write to Advocate General asking ‘who has the authority to make appointments in Lokayukta?’ Sources informed that the Advocate General Rajendra Tiwari in his reply said that Director General of Police has full authority to appoint any officer in Lokayukta police.
Since DGP works under the state government, he/she has full authority to make any appointment, even in Lokayukta police.
However, Lokayukta office differs as it is of the opinion that though state government has authority to make appointment in the organisation but it has to take its (Lokayukta)consent before doing so. First, all the documents are to be sent to Lokayukta police and then after going through it the organisation would give its nod for the appointment. Now with AG clarifying that DGP has upper hand, the issue may get grimmer as the Lokayukta may not give joining to official whose transfer order are issued by PHQ.
Advocate general Rajendra Tiwari informed Free Press that the letter was received from the government seeking an advice. “I replied to the letter and gave my advice, now it’s the government prerogative to go by it or not”.
ADG Madhu Kumar, who was serving as DG, EOW, was shifted after Congress formed the government. He was sent to Lokayukta to replace ADG Ravi Kumar Gupta. Lokayukta, justice NK Gupta refused to give joining to Kumar stating that its consent was not taken while making the appointment. He even refused to relieve Gupta. The issue only resolved after Chief Minister Kamal Nath met Lokayukta.
The issue of authority again cropped up when SP Lokayukta Ujjain Rajesh Kumar Mishra was transferred to PHQ. But soon his transfer was amended and he was told to join as SP Lokayukta, Indore. The Lokayukta again opposed the order stating that no direct appointment can be done. The government then had posted him to the ombudsman organisation and later the organisation sent him as SP Lokayukta Ujjain
