UP Govt Discontinues Engagement Of An Add'l Advocate General Who Was Recently Reproved By High Court For Her 'Conduct'

The Uttar Pradesh Government has canceled the engagement of Advocate Jyoti Sikka as the Additional Advocate General with immediate effect. The Secretary to the Government, Praful Kamal forwarded a letter to this effect to the office of the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh yesterday.

The state government has also discontinued the engagement of standing counsel Amit Sharma. Both the government lawyers were engaged in the year 2017. Incidentally, both the government advocates were recently reproved by the Allahabad High Court for their 'conduct'. 

[NOTE: LiveLaw doesn't claim that the two incidents are connected to each other.]

What transpired on March 2 in the Allahabad High Court?

Essentially, on March 2, 2022, Standing Counsel for the State, Amit Sharma, had put in an appearance in a case on behalf of the petitioner-State [U.P. Forest Dept. Thru. Prabhagiya Van Adhikari Lko. And Anr].

In the first session before lunch recess, he had informed the Bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh that Jyoti Sikka, the Additional Advocate General would appear in the matter and the matter should be taken up in the revised call as she was busy in some other Court.

When the Court asked the Standing Counsel where she was, Mr. Sharma said that she was busy in some other Court. As per the order, when the Court asked a specific question as to where she was and in which Court was she arguing? The Standing Counsel did not have an answer.

The Court then decided to take up the matter in the revised call, however, when the case was taken up in the revised call, the AAG was still not present. Again, when the Court asked Sharma, where she was, he said that she had left the Court as she had some urgent work.

At the outset, the Court said that Sharma had the courage to tell a complete lie in the Court. Further, the Court remarked thus:

"It is very painful to note that Ms. Jyoti Sikka has no courtesy to come and seek the permission of the Court for leaving the Court premises despite having accepted the case and, the case was kept to be taken up in the revised call. This Court does not approve the conduct of Mr. Amit Sharma, Standing Counsel and Ms. Jyoti Sikka, Additional Advocate General of the State...Let a copy of this order be forwarded to the Principal Secretary (Law) and the Additional Chief Secretary, U.P. Forest Department for information and necessary action."

Click here to read/download and UP government's letter