The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : State pay panel’s view shocks Lokayukta

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Friday, Jun 15, 2007
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Karnataka - Bangalore

State pay panel’s view shocks Lokayukta

Staff Reporter

Commission has favoured taking over Lokayukta’s power to fight graft

Useful: Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde taking a look at the book ‘What Went Wrong in India and How To Set Them Right,’ which he released in Bangalore on Thursday. With him is the author of the book B. Keshavan.

Bangalore: Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde has expressed shock and disappointment over the Fifth State Pay Commission’s recommendations that the Lokayukta’s powers to fight corruption be taken away and entrusted to a separate vigilance commission.

Speaking to presspersons after releasing a book here on Thursday, Mr. Hegde said according to the pay commission, the Lokayukta could continue with its other functions such as redressal of grievances, but a vigilance commission should be formed and given powers to fight corruption. “If this is done, the whole purpose of having the Lokayukta is defeated as it was formed with the objective of fighting corruption,” Mr. Hegde said.

He was also unhappy over the State Government’s handling of the issue of giving suo motu powers to the Lokayukta for inquiring into cases of corruption and maladministration. When asked about the State Government’s pendi ng decision on the matter, Mr. Hegde said that there was no point talking about this as the Government did not seem to be interested in taking any decision in this regard. “I am not optimistic at all,” he said reacting to a question on whether he was hopeful of the Government granting suo motu powers to the Lokayukta.

“I had earlier suggested that a section of the bureaucracy in the Karnataka Government was blocking the granting of suo motu powers to the Lokayukta, but the bureaucrats have flatly denied. I have taken it to be correct as I d o not have contra-evidence to prove otherwise,” Mr. Hegde said.

The Lokayukta had made some proposals to the Government about handling of cases and was awaiting its move in this regard. “The recommendations made by the Lokayukta should be accepted compulsorily and a case should be taken to its logical end. Secondly, the powers of the Upalokayukta and the Lokayukta should be interchangeable,” he said.

An amendment to Section 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code had also been sought so that the Lokayukta police would have the same powers as the Police Department to conduct an inquiry in cases of corruption and would have powers to supervise the inquiries made by the Police Department.

Book released

Earlier, releasing “What Went Wrong in India and How To Set Them Right” written by B. Keshavan at the Press Club here, Mr. Hegde praised the work as a good effort as it talked about the ground realities of present-day administration and the falling standards in public life.

“The book particularly interested me because it talks about corruption in high offices, including bureaucracy and judiciary, and the responsibility of the press. It should be made available in all libraries in schools and colleges as it gave valuable information on topics that concern India,” he added.

The book is a compendium of articles on various subjects that concern India ranging from agriculture, banking, corruption in the bureaucracy and judiciary, reservation and so on. A unique feature of the book is the alphabetical listing of its 26 chapters, starting with agriculture.

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