Chandigarh, July 20, 2018: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced that his party would write to Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice, Krishna Murari not to approve former HC judge Mehtab Singh Gill’s name for appointment as Lokpal.
He alleged that Gill was a known Congress worker as well as Akali baiter and could not be expected to perform his duties in an honest and non-partisan manner.
Reacting to news reports stating Justice (retd) Mehtab Singh Gill’s name had been forwarded to the chief justice for appointment as Lokpal, Sukhbir Badal said his party would submit a detailed report on this issue to the CJ and request him to reject the proposal forthwith.
“We cannot have someone appointed as Lokpal purely on the basis of his proximity with the Chief Minister as well as the Leader of Opposition. The appointment of the Lokpal cannot be a quid pro quo arrangement,” he added.
The SAD president alleged that Justice MS Gill had a long political association with the Chief Minister. “During the 2013 Moga by-election when Captain Amarinder was the Punjab Congress president, Justice Gill not only assisted in the Congress election campaign but also provided his residence in Charik village in Moga to Amarinder as residence-cum-camp office for the entire duration of campaigning”.
After becoming Chief Minister in March 2017, Capt Amarinder appointed Justice Gill as head of a Commission of Inquiry to look into alleged false cases registered during the SAD-BJP tenure. “The Commission has since worked as an institution to settle scores against Akali leaders and workers. Now the chief minister proposes to intensify persecution against Akali leaders and workers by moving to appoint his crony as Lokpal”, he added.
Stating that Justice Gill had been benevolent on even leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira, the SAD president said the Gill Commission had recommended cancellation of 17 cases registered against the Leader of Opposition and his supporters. “Khaira, who is known to object to every appointment forwarded to him by the government for consultation as leader of opposition, has understandably also entered into a quid pro quo arrangement with Justice Gill and favours his appointment”, alleged Badal.