UP sets up one-man judicial commission

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed on October 3.

Justice Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, a retired judge of the Allahabad high court, has been named to inquire into the eruption of violence on Sunday on Tikunia-Banbirpur road in Lakhimpur Kheri district.

The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a notification on the constitution of the commission which will be headquartered at Lakhimpur Kheri. It has been given two months’ time to complete the probe.

“The Governor is pleased to appoint Justice High Court, Allahabad (retd) Pradeep Kumar Srivastava as a single-member Commission of enquiry with Headquarters at Lakhimpur Kheri,” the notification dated October 6 said.

“The Commission shall complete the enquiry within a period of two months from the date of the issue of this notification. Any change in its tenure shall be at the behest of the Government,” it added. Setting up of a judicial inquiry was one of the components of the agreement mediated by farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on behalf of the protesting farmers with the state government a day after the October 3 incident.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Thursday demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge, and not by a retired judge, according to the news agency PTI.

She also sought the resignation of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni, against whose son an FIR under IPC section 302 (murder) was lodged in connection with the case. The minister and his son have denied the son’s alleged involvement in the incident. “In my view and that of the victims’ families as well, the case should be probed by a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge, and not the retired judge,” she said.

Before leaving for Bahraich, she said, “I don’t want to comment on the probe as it has not started yet. But I can say that for an unbiased probe, the minister should resign as he has the Home portfolio and all this comes under him.”

UP minister Suresh Rana said, “Justice will be done in the Lakhimpur case. Yogi Adityanath ji has led from the front and defused tension. An inquiry will unravel all aspects of the case, including those who fanned the fire.”