GULBARGA: The office of the Upa Lokayukta is more powerful than the Lokayukta and the former has suo motu powers to launch investigation even on the basis of press reports or anonymous complaints, while the latter can proceed against anybody only after receiving a formal complaint in the form of an affidavit, Lokayukta Santosh Hegde has said.

Addressing a press conference here along with Upa Lokayukta Justice Patri Basavanagoud, Mr. Hegde said the powers of the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta had been bifurcated.

While the Upa Lokayukta had been entrusted with the powers to deal with complaints against officers below the rank of Class I up to the peon, the Lokayukta had been given powers to investigate complaints against officers and elected representatives from Class I to the Chief Minister.

Mr. Hegde said the demand for according suo motu powers to the Lokayukta to deal with complaints against Class I officers and elected representatives had been pending for the past several years with the Government. Last August, the Lokayukta had submitted a proposal for an amendment of the Act to the State Government.

During a recent meeting, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had promised to take up the issue before the Cabinet Sub-committee and take a decision in the first week of January, Mr. Hegde said.

However, he said that so far there was no sign of any concrete proposal from the Government on amending the present Act.

Upa Lok Ayukta Patri Basavanagoud said the present Act needed to be amended and all officers and elected representatives should be brought under the purview of the Lokayukta.

Filing of charge sheets

Mr. Hegde and Mr. Basavanagoud said the process of filing charge sheets against 108 officers facing different charges, including corruption, would be completed before the end of March. He said the Lokayukta officials had already started preparation of charge sheets against officials, which would be filed in courts from this week.

Public hearing today

They said that as part of the drive to ensure good governance and for redressal of public grievances, the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta were holding public hearings in all districts. They would hold public hearings in Yadgir, Raichur and Bellary on Wednesday and Thursday.

He said surprise visits to offices or hospitals would provide only temporary relief, while the public hearings would leave a lasting impact on the functioning of government departments and make them more responsive to public grievances.

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