Constitutional appointments in Jharkhand soon, assures state government in high court

The long-pending appointments to several constitutional posts in Jharkhand, including that of the Lokayukta, Chief Information Commissioner, Information Commissioners, and Chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission, are now expected to be completed soon. This assurance came from the state government during a hearing in the Jharkhand High Court on Monday.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Rajesh Shankar was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding prompt filling of these posts. Representing the government, its counsel informed the court that the absence of a Leader of the Opposition had stalled the process, but with that vacancy now filled, appointments would proceed without further delay.

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Senior advocate Dheeraj Kumar, confirmed that the state’s submission was taken on record, and the court has scheduled the next hearing in August.

The delay in appointments had earlier attracted the attention of the Supreme Court. In a hearing in January 2025, a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh had directed the largest opposition party in the Jharkhand Assembly to nominate one of its elected members as Leader of the Opposition within two weeks. This was essential for forming the statutory selection committees.

Subsequently, the BJP unanimously elected Babulal Marandi as Leader of the Opposition on 6 March, and the announcement was formally made in the Assembly by Speaker Rabindranath Mahato the next day.

The prolonged vacancies have caused serious administrative backlog, particularly in the State Information Commission, Lokayukta, and the Women’s Commission. Without appointed heads, hundreds of complaints and cases remain unresolved, impacting public trust in grievance redressal mechanisms.

Notably, the state government had earlier, in August 2024, submitted before the High Court that appointments would be completed within 15 days. Nearly a year later, those posts remain unfilled—prompting repeated extensions and legal scrutiny.

With the Leader of the Opposition now in place, judicial observers and civil society hope this marks a turning point in the restoration of these vital democratic institutions.