HC questions CSC about interview of govt advocates by law dept

THE STATE GOVT IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPOINTING A NEW ADVOCATE GENERAL AS THE INCUMBENT AG RAGHVENDRA SINGH HAS RESIGNED.

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Wednesday questioned the chief standing counsel (CSC) of the state government about the interview of government advocates being conducted by the UP law department.

A division bench headed by Justice DK Upadhyay summoned CSC JK Sinha to the court.

Earlier, the court took note of the issue after Amrendra Nath Tripathi, general secretary of Oudh Bar Association, mentioned the interview of lawyers being conducted by the state’s law department.

Tripathi raised serious objection to the interview process, pointing out that the law department was not authorised to interview government advocates.

Justice Upadhyay asked the CSC about the interview. The court room and even the corridor were packed with lawyers during the court proceedings.

“The court pointed out that state law department was not authorised to interview government advocates,” Tripathi said. Only the office of advocate general (AG) is authorised to interview government advocates, Tripathi added. After hearing the issue the court reserved its order.

It may be pointed out that the office of principal secretary (law and legal remembrancer), UP law department, had summoned government advocates on Tuesday for interview at Lok Bhavan in Lucknow.

The state government is in the process of appointing a new advocate general as the incumbent AG Raghvendra Singh has resigned.

On Wednesday, the issue became a raging topic of discussion among lawyers in the high court.