For propriety sake Justice Sekhon should have declined to be Lokpal: Sunil Jakhar

by Punjabnewswire4u

CHANDIGARH, NOV 14

Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Sunil Jakhar today said that for the sake of moral and judicial propriety Justice JS Sekhon should have declined to be the Punjab Lokpal as his brother Janmeja Singh Sekhon is a minister in the Punjab government. Besides, he happens to be related to the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as well, he added.

Questioning the mode and timing of the appointment of Lokpal in Punjab, Jakhar said, the way government appointed Justice Sekhon as the Lokpal just out of blue has raised doubts about the real intentions of the government on the issue.

Maintaining that Justice Sekhon’s appointment defied moral and judicial propriety, he asked, suppose a complaint comes against his own brother Janmeja Sekhon as he happens to be a minister in the state government, how will he act and decide the case in an impartial manner.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Jakhar maintained that the person appointed to head a constitutional body should not only be above board, but should also seem to be above board. He pointed out, Justice Sekhon was the real brother of the senior Akali leader and minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon and his appointment clearly smelt of partisan politics.

Questioning the timing of the appointment, the Leader of the Opposition observed that the Punjab government in an apparent bid to circumvent the central law which is likely going to come into force soon, took recourse to the Punjab Lokpal Act which does not mandate taking the Leader of the Opposition into confidence.

He said, the new central law is likely to come into force anytime now since it is on the top priority of the government and is likely to be taken up in the next session of the parliament that begins from November 22, clearly mandates that the Leader of the Opposition has to be taken into confidence before appointing the Lokpal. He pointed out, the act has already been passed by the Lok Sabha and remains to be passed by the Rajya Sabha only.

Mr Jakhar said, it only revealed the real intentions of the Akali-BJP government in the state that by appointing a person as the Lokpal of the state whose political relationships are too well known it not only wanted to complete a formality but put their own man on the post while defeating the very spirit and purpose of the Lokpal.