Justice Sekhon becomes Punjab Lokpal, Oppn protests

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Shivraj Patil on Friday administered the oath of allegiance to Justice (retired) Jai Singh Sekhon as the Lokpal of Punjab at a brief ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as well as family members of Justice Sekhon were among others present on the occasion.

Punjab's main opposition party Congress had said that for the sake of "moral and judicial propriety", Justice Sekhon should have declined to be the Lokpal of Punjab, as his brother Janmeja Singh Sekhon is a minister in the Punjab government.

Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Sunil Jakhar had recently claimed that Justice Sekhon's appointment "defied moral and judicial propriety".

"Suppose a complaint comes against his own brother Janmeja Sekhon as he happens to be a minister in the state government, how will he (justice) act and decide the case in an impartial manner," Jakhar had questioned.

The Punjab government on November 9 appointed Justice Sekhon, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, as Lokpal of the state.