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Central law favoured for Lokayukta

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

CAMPAIGN AGAINST CORRUPTION: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (left) receiving Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan at the ninth all-India Lokayuktas, Lokpals and Upalokayuktas conference in Bangalore on Saturday. Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph and Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde (right) are seen.

BANGALORE: The ninth two day All India Conference of the Lokayukta, Lokpal and Upalokayukta Association began here on Saturday with a call to enact a Central legislation to make the institutions of Lokpal and Lokayukta constitutional bodies that could derive power from the Constitution to fight corruption.

Speakers at the inaugural session of the conference, including the Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, association president S.H.A. Raza, who is the Lokayukta of Uttarakhand, said corruption in society had become the largest hurdle in reaching the social and economic empowerment programme to the poor and the marginalised classes. The time was now right for the Government to fully empower the institution of Lokayukta to fight corruption.

Delivering the inaugural address, Mr. Balakrishnan said the common man had lost the official route to seek redressal to his problems because of corruption in bureaucracy. Society needed a supervisory mechanism over the administration that could keep a check on corruption and red-tapism. He said some States had instituted this mechanism through Lokayukta but many were yet to understand the relevance of it. He said a Central legislation in favour of Lokayukta would check corruption.

Mr. Balakrishnan taking the instance of the public distribution system said corruption had become so rampant that even the subsidised foodgrains were not reaching the people. How could poverty be alleviated if the poor could not get foodgrains that was supplied through PDS?

Every citizen had a right to good governance and if all other organs of the Government had failed him it was the country’s responsibility to create another body that could deliver social justice. He said it was unfortunate that the Central legislation on Lokayukta and Lokpal had not materialised and perhaps it was time for the political leadership to put it in motion.

Mr. Raza said the country had seen two Administrative Reforms Commissions since 1966 and chairpersons of both commissions, namely the late Morarji Desai and M. Veerappa Moily had found that a Central legislation in favour of Lokayukta and Lokpal was essential when corrupt practices had become a way of life.

The association had made several appeals to the Government. He said the institution of Lokayukta was known in the western countries under the name of ombudsman which was meant to ensure good, efficient, responsible, transparent and accountable government.

Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph said the judiciary and the Lokayukta had common goal of delivering justice to the people.

A fully empowered Lokayukta was an asset to the judicial system. It reduced the burden of the judicial system. He said corruption was like an epidemic and needed to be treated holistically by creating a conducive atmosphere to bring down corruption through education and spread of anti-corruption awareness.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who presided over this programme, said his Government was ready to extend all help to the Lokayukta.

He reminded the audience that his Government had extended the “suo motu” power to the Lokayukta which was the first in the country.

Mr. Kumaraswamy announced that his Government would allocate Rs. 2 crore to the Lokayukta.

On this occasion, legal luminaries from around the country, Lokayuktas of 17 States, and their deputies are attending the conference.

Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde, in his welcome address, outlined the agenda of the conference.

The former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda was present.

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