Punjab Deputy CM’s son-in-law appointed Additional AG, Opposition calls it nepotism

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 8

The infighting-ridden Congress government in Punjab today appointed Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s son-in-law as Additional Advocate-General, inviting allegations of nepotism from the Opposition.

Also, Sumeet Mahajan has been engaged as Senior Additional AG, Mukesh Chander Berry and Aadil Singh Boparai as Additional AG and Rehatbir Singh Maan Deputy AG.

Courting controversy

• In Sept, the Cabinet okayed appointment of then Revenue Minister Kangar’s son-in-law as Excise Inspector
• In June, move to give jobs to sons of 2 MLAs led to an uproar

Sources said Tarun Vir Singh Lehal was appointed despite the fact that he was on an earlier occasion rejected for the post with the remark, “experience criteria not met.” Available information suggests the appointment was made on the recommendation of “interim” Advocate-General APS Deol.

The appointments under “proviso to Section 7 (4) of the Punjab Law Officers (Engagement) Act, 2017,” makes it clear that the AG may, with government’s approval, engage up to seven advocates who, in his opinion, “possess such special qualifications and experience as he deems suitable as law officers, keeping in view the exigencies and for smooth functioning of his office.” Lehal’s appointment comes at a time when differences between CM Charanjit Channi, Randhawa and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu are no more a matter of surmise. The appointment has been notified by the Department of Home Affairs and Justice. While “Home” is under Randhawa, “Justice” is with the Chief Minister. Sidhu has declared he will attend office only after Deol is replaced. He had two days ago made a veiled attack on Randhawa over the sacrilege cases.

Deol, who resigned from the post last month, was told to continue till a new appointee took over the charge. He had some days ago publicly accused Sidhu of spreading misinformation and hampering the functioning of the government and the AG’s office. Sidhu retaliated with a string of 12 tweets.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha, asking the government if this was what its “Ghar Ghar Rozgar” scheme meant, remarked: “The Congress is fulfilling its principal poll promise of ‘Har Ghar Naukri’ but with a minor modification. Recipients of these jobs are family members of Congress ministers and MLAs. The latest beneficiary is Deputy CM Randhawa’s son-in-law.”

Dy CM: Purely on merit

“Why can’t a relative of a minister be appointed on merit as Additional AG? If I was to seek any favour, I would have done so during my tenure as minister in Captain’s Cabinet,” Randhawa said

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