SC appoints Justice Mishra as Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta

After admitting that it was misled to make appointment of Justice Virendra Singh as Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta, the Supreme Court on Thursday recalled its December 16 order and appointed former Allahabad HC judge Justice Sanjay Mishra as head of the anti-graft body.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Prafulla C Pant said the order appointing Justice Singh as Lokayukta was passed on the basis of the statement made on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh, “which now appears to be somewhat inaccurate.”

Chief Justice of Allahabad HC Justice D Y Chandrachud has told the court that Justice Singh was not a man of integrity. He had also said the chief minister went ahead considering his name for the post despite assurance to the contrary. Justice Singh’s name figured on top in the list submitted to the court on December 16.

Disposing of a writ petition filed by journalist Sachidananda Gupta, challenging Singh’s appointment, the bench said, “We can only wish that the reservation of the Chief Justice had been placed before us before we had passed our earlier order.”

After going through the list of names discussed in the meeting of collegium comprising chief minister, Chief Justice (CJ) and leader of Opposition, the bench said, “The picture that emanates from the narration of facts is hazy, unclear and uncertain.”