The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the principal accountant general in Gwalior following a petition by retired judge Umesh Chandra Maheshwari, who served as the deputy Lokayukta. The petition seeks the resolution of a dispute regarding the non-payment of his gratuity.
Chief Justice SK Kait and Justice Vivek Jain presided over the hearing of Justice Maheshwari’s plea, which was filed after his tenure as a high court judge and subsequent service as the deputy Lokayukta of Madhya Pradesh from June 28, 2016, to June 27, 2022.
According to the judge’s counsel, Saket Agrawal, the plea challenges an order dated June 13 of the previous year by the principal accountant general (A&ETT) in Gwalior, which rejected the gratuity payment. Agrawal pointed out that both the Madhya Pradesh government and the governor had approved the payment, but the accountant general’s office issued an order contrary to the provisions of section 5(5) of the Lokayukta (Up-Lokayukta) Adhiniyam, 1981, and the High Court Judges (Salary and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954.
The court also extended notices to the state government and the secretary of the Lokayukta office. Agrawal emphasized that there is no rule barring the payment of gratuity for the position of deputy Lokayukta, asserting that his client is entitled to such payment under the law.
