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LG flags ‘inordinate delay’ in submission of Lokayukta reports from state govt
New Delhi Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the 16th and 17th annual reports of the Lokayukta for the years 2017-18 and 2018-19 to be placed in the state assembly, but has flagged the “inordinate delay of three years” in their submission, officials in the LG’s office who were aware of the matter said on Friday
New Delhi Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the 16th and 17th annual reports of the Lokayukta for the years 2017-18 and 2018-19 to be placed in the state assembly, but has flagged the “inordinate delay of three years” in their submission, officials in the LG’s office who were aware of the matter said on Friday.
According to the officials, Saxena, in his approval conveyed to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, stated in a note that being the custodian of public trust, the CM should display appropriate alertness in matters of public importance.
“I would like to advise that the concerned minister may please be guided appropriately to dispose such important matters of the public interest within reasonable period, so that the statutory purpose of laying it before the legislative assembly is not defeated and Delhi is not deprived of its wisdom,” said the note, according to the officials.
HT has not seen the note written by the LG. HT has also not seen the reports of the Lokayukta.
In response to Saxena’s criticism over the delay in submission, a Delhi government spokesperson said, “The LG should stop behaving like a school headmaster.”
No response was available from the Lokayukta office.
The reports in question were first submitted to the then-LG Anil Baijal by the Lokayukta on October 1, 2019. Baijal had sent them to the chief secretary on October 23, 2019 for explanations to be offered by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on certain points highlighted by the Lokayukta, as per laid down procedure of the Lokayukta Act, 1995.
The reports, along with explanatory notes, were thereafter supposed to be sent back to the LG for final approval before placing them in the Delhi Assembly. The officials in the LG’s office said that Kejriwal sent it for Saxena’s approval on September 27 this year, but the reasons for the three years’ delay were not given.
According to the officials, Saxena in his note wrote that “apart from the fact that instead of laying down these reports before the legislative assembly, so that the suggestions and the recommendations made by the Lokayukta are debated for further strengthening the system of Lokayukta in Delhi, this inordinate delay has deprived the Assembly from taking cognisance of these important reports which deal with matters of corruption, abuse or misuse of position in cases of public functionaries”.
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