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Lokpal should take up cases suo motu: Lok Satta
Lok Satta Party President Jayaprakash Narayan today demanded that the Lokpal and Lokayuktas be armed with powers to take up corruption cases suo motu.
Hyderabad: Lok Satta Party President and MLA
Jayaprakash Narayan today demanded that the Lokpal at the
national level and Lokayuktas in states be armed with powers
to take up corruption cases suo motu.
Addressing a media conference on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill now before Parliament, he pointed out that under the present provisions in the Bill the ombudsman can take up cases only when there are specific complaints. But many people may refrain from lodging complaints because of the provision that false complaints could attract a jail term of up to one year and a fine of Rs 1,00,000, he said. The ombudsmen should look into cases where circumstantial evidence warrants an inquiry without waiting for a complaint. None can make a specific complaint in cases like allocation of the 2-G spectrum or award of contracts under `Jalayagnam` in Andhra Pradesh, although it is public knowledge that they reeked of corruption. Otherwise monumental cases of corruption would go without a probe," Narayan, a former member of Administrative Reforms Commission said.
For the ombudsmen to be effective, they should be provided an independent intelligence wing. Only when the ombudsmen have knowledge about issues, can they make rational judgements as to the relative importance to be accorded to the cases before them. Otherwise, trivial cases will dominate at the cost of important cases of gross corruption of those in high office, he said. He said that although the Bill takes great care for the selection of the CBI chief and other officials, it fails to address the appointment of Anti Corruption Bureau Directors and others in states.
"States have become the epicentres of corruption in the post-liberalisation era. Of the total 2.2 crore government employees in the country, states account for nearly 1.6 crore. Of the 5,000 total legislators in the country, 4000 are in states. Of the 700 ministers both at the Centre and in states, 600 are in states. For tackling corruption at the state level which hurts a vast majority of people, the ACB should be autonomous and independent and not be at the mercy of those in power," the bureaucrat-turned politician said. He felt that to fight corruption, more laws like the one drafted by the Law Commission for attachment of the entire property of the corrupt person, and another to go into cases of collusive corruption are necessary. PTI
Addressing a media conference on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill now before Parliament, he pointed out that under the present provisions in the Bill the ombudsman can take up cases only when there are specific complaints. But many people may refrain from lodging complaints because of the provision that false complaints could attract a jail term of up to one year and a fine of Rs 1,00,000, he said. The ombudsmen should look into cases where circumstantial evidence warrants an inquiry without waiting for a complaint. None can make a specific complaint in cases like allocation of the 2-G spectrum or award of contracts under `Jalayagnam` in Andhra Pradesh, although it is public knowledge that they reeked of corruption. Otherwise monumental cases of corruption would go without a probe," Narayan, a former member of Administrative Reforms Commission said.
For the ombudsmen to be effective, they should be provided an independent intelligence wing. Only when the ombudsmen have knowledge about issues, can they make rational judgements as to the relative importance to be accorded to the cases before them. Otherwise, trivial cases will dominate at the cost of important cases of gross corruption of those in high office, he said. He said that although the Bill takes great care for the selection of the CBI chief and other officials, it fails to address the appointment of Anti Corruption Bureau Directors and others in states.
"States have become the epicentres of corruption in the post-liberalisation era. Of the total 2.2 crore government employees in the country, states account for nearly 1.6 crore. Of the 5,000 total legislators in the country, 4000 are in states. Of the 700 ministers both at the Centre and in states, 600 are in states. For tackling corruption at the state level which hurts a vast majority of people, the ACB should be autonomous and independent and not be at the mercy of those in power," the bureaucrat-turned politician said. He felt that to fight corruption, more laws like the one drafted by the Law Commission for attachment of the entire property of the corrupt person, and another to go into cases of collusive corruption are necessary. PTI