Plea in Allahabad High Court claims newly appointed law officers were recommended by RSS, are relatives of politicians, judges

A petition has been filed before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court challenging the recent appointment of state law officers, claiming that they have been appointed on the recommendation of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) and that some of the new appointees were relatives of politicians and judicial officers in the State [Rama Shankar Tiwari v State of UP]..The petitioners are Advocates Rama Shankar Tiwari, Shashank Kumar Shukla and Arvind Kumar, who have sought quashing of the list of selected state law officers and brief holders issued by the State government through the Special Secretary, Law & Justice on August 1..The petitioners argue that they received information from reliable sources that the appointment of the officers was made on the recommendation of RSS. "That petitioners got information from reliable sources that appointment list of State Law Officers was made on the recommendation of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh and several Advocates who hold different position in the Sangh have been appointed."The plea also contends that out of the total 220 selected officers, some have not even completed five years of practice. It further stated,"That in the list of 220 members some Advocates are relatives of dominant politicians in State and some are relatives of the Judicial officers and few are juniors or followers of Additional Advocate Generals in High Court Lucknow or High Court Allahabad.".The petitioners further claimed that the guidelines on selection of government lawyers, as laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of State of Punjab v. Brijeshwar Singh Chahal, have not been followed."Neither any application has been invited nor any committee has been constituted and from the back door State Law Officers and Brief Holders ( Civil and Criminal ) have been appointed in an illegal and arbitrary manner," the plea stated..It also questioned the number of posts of Chief Standing Counsel (CSC) in Lucknow, contending,"6 persons have been appointed as Chief Standing Counsel and huge public money has been spent as salary and expenses.".The petitioner thus sought the constitution of a committee for the appointment of eligible advocates as law officers, a reduced number of CSC posts, as well as an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the appointments made by the State government. .The Uttar Pradesh government recently terminated the services of 841 law officers engaged to appear for the State at both benches of the Allahabad High Court, with immediate effect. On the very same day, another order was issued appointing 366 lawyers as law officers to the Allahabad Bench of the High Court and 220 to the Lucknow Bench..This move came shortly after the High Court directed the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary to ask the State Cabinet whether there was a requirement to have so many Additional Advocates General (AAGs) and Chief Standing Counsel (CSC) to defend the State before the High Court..Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.