The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Government seeks status of cases pending with Lokayukta

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Government seeks status of cases pending with Lokayukta

Staff Reporter

It's only to say that Lokayukta is not doing its job: Hegde

BANGALORE: Within hours of Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde lashing out at the State Government for appointing a Commission of Inquiry into the land scams he was already investigating, the State Government has sought the status of certain cases pending before the Lokayukta.

Six cases

Confirming this, Mr Hegde told The Hindu that the Government had asked for the status of some six cases entrusted by the State Government to the Lokayukta under Section 7 (2) (a) of the Lokayukta Act. “I am yet to see the fax that was sent around 6 p.m. today [Friday]. I will go to the office tomorrow and provide the status to the Government,” he said.

The Lokayukta, who appeared to be perturbed with the Government's move, said “this was only to convey to the people that the Lokayukta is not doing any work”.

“The Government had sought details of certain cases only to tell people that I am interested in investigating cases pertaining to this Government and the Chief Minister. Nothing else,” Mr Hegde said.

Dares Government

Mysore Special Correspondent writes:

Irked by the Government defending its decision to order a judicial probe into the land scam allegations, the Lokayukta, speaking to reporters in Hassan on Friday, dared the Government to dissolve the institution of the Lokayukta by promulgating an Ordinance on the lines of the Punjab and Haryana governments. Expressing his displeasure over Cabinet Ministers and BJP leaders attempting to justify the move, Mr. Hegde declared that there was no question of the Lokayukta withdrawing its inquiry into the allegations levelled against the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).

Terming the decision of the Government to appoint the Commission of Inquiry unilateral, he said he would have had no objection if there was a provision in the law to do so. However, the Government did not have the courtesy of consulting him before appointing the commission.

“Is it legal on part of the person who is facing charges to appoint an inquiry commission,” he asked.

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