After a stormy two-year tenure as Lokayukta of Nagaland, Justice U N Singh tendered his resignation from the post on Monday and the Supreme Court directed the state government to accept it immediately.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, agreed to Justice Singh’s demand for security while packing his bags from Kohima and securing the files of the anti-corruption watchdog body, but rendered ineffective all “derogatory” remarks made by the Lokayukta in his official orders against state advocate general K N Balgopal. The CJI-led bench said, “Justice Singh has stated through his counsel Vikas Singh that his client is ready to tender resignation from the post of Lokayukta with immediate effect. We accept the statement and direct Nagaland government to accept the resignation immediately.”
Vikas Singh said court should direct that there should be no misreporting of differences between the Lokayukta and Nagaland government and that reporting should be based only on court orders.
The bench said, “How can we pass such an order that there should be no misreporting?”
Justice Singh had specified that “Nagaland or any other authority or person shall not use or refer to any material or averment placed on record in the present writ petition or connected with the issue… for initiating any kind of action, complaint or proceedings or defaming him in media or any other manner whatsoever in nature which could cause any stigma in any manner to his privileges and status, professional, official or otherwise”.
Trouble brewed almost immediately after Justice Singh was appointed Lokayukta in February 2019 as he sought permission to take up arbitration work despite a clear prohibition for the Lokayukta to take up any work other than those related to the statutory position. Justice Singh had later written to the government saying he would function ‘online’ from his Delhi residence.
Balgopal said after the Lokayukta’s official residence was renovated at the state’s expense, Justice Singh demanded allocation of the chief minister’s old bungalow for his residence. He also asked a senior police officer to purchase shoes for him and conducted himself in a manner to demean the socio-cultural ethos of Naga people, the AG had alleged. (Agencies)