Ranchi, April 1 (IANS) The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday directed the State Government to furnish details on the filling of long-pending vacancies in key constitutional bodies by April 13.

The constitutional bodies with pending vacancies include the Lokayukta, the State Human Rights Commission, and the State Information Commission.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar was hearing a batch of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) and related contempt petitions on the issue on Wednesday.

Appearing for the State, Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan informed the court that, following the previous hearing, a high-level meeting of the Selection Committee was held at the Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence, where key decisions regarding the appointments in high constitutional posts were taken. He submitted to the court that the process is now in its final stages.

Ranjan further apprised the bench that Chief Minister Hemant Soren is currently out of the state in connection with the Assam elections, and that the government would formally place on record the decisions taken and the progress made once he returns to the state.

Senior Advocate V.P. Singh, representing the petitioner Rajkumar, argued that the prolonged vacancies – pending for several years — have adversely impacted the state’s administrative and quasi-judicial functioning.

It is to be noted that the first PIL seeking the appointment of Information Commissioners was filed in 2020. Despite multiple hearings over the years, the posts remain vacant. The court has time and again made strong observations in several earlier proceedings.

Taking the State’s submissions on record, the bench posted the matter for further hearing on April 13.

The petitions, filed by Advocate Rajkumar and the Advocates’ Association, seek expeditious appointments to key posts in Jharkhand, including the Lokayukta and the Chief Information Commissioner.

–IANS

snc/skp