SC frowns on Nagaland Lokayukta’s bid to operate from Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 11 : The Supreme Court Monday face a unique issue, where the Lokayukta of Nagaland sought to discharge his duties in the northeastern state from Delhi.
“We have never seen pleadings like this, you are demeaning the office,” a bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justice A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian told counsel for appearing for the Lokayukta, former Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh.
The Chief Justice said the Lokayuktas do not have to serve like this. “You are saying things and the government is saying things… there better be some dignity,” he said.
The observation by the bench after the counsel for state government claiming that the Lokayukta was “not discharging his work diligently” and cited that he wants to work from Delhi. “He wanted to shift office to Delhi… he says it is difficult to commute 5 km terrain in Nagaland from his home. He is a non-performing Lokayukta. He has no interest in work,” it contended.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing the Lokayukta, submitted that the state government wants to remove him but there is a procedure which has to be followed.
At this, the bench said: “We don’t agree with you. We don’t understand this. How can a person be a Lokayukta while sitting in Delhi just because this is a pandemic time?”