Jharkhand HC cracks whip on pending appointments, sets 10-day ultimatum

Ranchi — The Jharkhand High Court on Monday came down strongly on the state government over delays in filling crucial constitutional posts, including the Lokayukta and Information Commissioner, and gave a final 10-day deadline to complete the process.

Hearing a public interest litigation, a bench headed by Chief Justice M. S. Sonak made it clear that the continued vacancies cannot be allowed to persist. The court warned that if appointment notifications are not issued within the stipulated time, the government will face consequences. The next hearing is scheduled for April 23.

During the proceedings, Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan informed the court that a selection committee meeting held on March 25 had recommended names and forwarded the file to the Raj Bhavan, but it was later withdrawn.

Petitioner’s counsel Abhay Mishra alleged that three politically affiliated names were sent for the Information Commissioner’s post from a panel of five, which led to objections from the Governor and the return of the file.

Responding to the concerns, the Advocate General assured the bench that fresh recommendations would be prepared and resubmitted to the Raj Bhavan soon.

Several key posts in the state, including those in the Lokayukta, State Human Rights Commission, and State Information Commission, have remained vacant for a long time. The issue has been under judicial scrutiny since 2020, when the first petition on the matter was filed.

The court had also raised concerns in the previous hearing on April 1, when it was informed that the selection process, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, was nearing completion.

Petitioners, including Rajkumar and the Advocates’ Association, have maintained that these prolonged vacancies are affecting governance and weakening the functioning of key institutions in the state.
 

With inputs from IANS