Ranchi, April 13 Expressing strong displeasure over the continued vacancy of key constitutional posts in Jharkhand, including the Lokayukta and the Information Commissioner, the High Court on Monday issued a final 10-day ultimatum to the government.
Hearing a PIL, the court made it clear that if notifications for these appointments are not issued within the stipulated period, the state government will have to face consequences.
Adopting a stern stance, a bench led by Chief Justice M.S. Sonak observed that the delay in filling these crucial posts is no longer acceptable.
Terming it a final opportunity, the court directed the government to complete the appointment process within 10 days, without fail. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on 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 the file was sent to the Raj Bhavan. However, it was later withdrawn.
Counsel for the petitioner, Abhay Mishra, alleged that the government had deliberately forwarded three politically affiliated names -- out of a panel of five -- for the post of Information Commissioner, which the Governor objected and he returned the file.
Responding to the concerns, the Advocate General assured the bench that the recommendations would be revised and would be resubmitted to the Raj Bhavan shortly.
Notably, several key constitutional and statutory posts in Jharkhand -- including the Lokayukta, the State Human Rights Commission, and the State Information Commission -- have remained vacant for a prolonged period.
The issue dates back to 2020, when the first PIL seeking the appointment of Information Commissioners was filed. Despite multiple hearings over the years, the vacancies remain unfilled.
The High Court had also made sharp observations during the previous hearing on April 1, when the Advocate General had stated that the selection process, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, was in its final stages.
Petitioners, including Rajkumar and the Advocates’ Association, have consistently argued that prolonged vacancies in these posts are severely undermining governance and weakening the state’s administrative and quasi-judicial framework.
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