Maharashtra Lokayukta demands independent investigating agency

The 43rd annual consolidated report of the Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayukta, Maharashtra State, for the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 was submitted to the state legislature on Friday.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Lokayukta has demanded a separate investigating agency to strengthen its functioning. In its report submitted to the state legislature on Friday, the Lokayukta said that the absence of an independent investigating agency and inadequate staff adversely affected the functioning of the Lokayukta’s office.

Maharashtra was the first state in the country to establish the Lokayukta through the Maharashtra Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act, 1971. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

“...the Government has not considered the long-standing demand for sanction of (an) Independent Investigating agency,” it noted.

The 43rd annual consolidated report of the Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayukta, Maharashtra State, for the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 was submitted to the state legislature on Friday.

Maharashtra was the first state in the country to establish the Lokayukta through the Maharashtra Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act, 1971.

“The Lokayukta organisation in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh which were established much after Lokayukta organisation in Maharashtra, has been provided with an independent Investigation agency by the respective State Governments,” the report added.

The one-man Committee on Good Governance headed by Madhav Godbole, which submitted its report to the state on July 25, 2001, has recommended that the Lokayukta be entrusted with the overall responsibilities of looking after the vigilance work in the State. It said that the Director-General (DG), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) be brought under the control of the Lokayukta, and a Special Investigation Team of police officers be sanctioned for the Lokayukta.

The concept of Lokpal and Lokayukta is based on the institution of ombudsman in Scandinavian countries and were recommended by the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) headed by Morarji Desai in 1966 to supplement the existing arrangements of redressing citizens’ grievances.

Lokayukta is an independent entity, which is meant to investigate the injustice caused upon anybody due to administrative malpractices to do away with this injustice and investigate the complaints against any public servant in cases of corruption, misuse of powers and to make recommendations to the state for taking action.