Bengaluru govt to draft Lokayukta Bill for clarity on removal

BENGALURU: The state government on Tuesday announced that a comprehensive Lokayukta Bill would be drafted to bring about clarity regarding the removal of the person heading the corruption watchdog. "The government has decided to bring out a comprehensive Bill that will address all the hurdles. The Bill will also incorporate a previous amendment we suggested that the Lokayukta submit its annual performance report to the state government and not just to the governor," law minister TB Jayachandra told the Legislative Assembly.

A motion to remove an incumbent Lokayukta can be moved only if 100 members of the Legislative Assembly and 50 embers of the Legislative Council vote for it. The law department has advised the business advisory committee chaired by Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa the same procedure is laid down under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, to impeach sitting judges, which can also be used to remove can also be used to remove the Lokayukta. The Opposition, however, does not have the required number in both houses to defeat the motion and objected to this advice saying that it is applicable in Parliament.

Opposition parties cornered chief minister Siddaramaiah over the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed to probe allegations of corruption inside the Lokayukta. "The government is obviously protecting people involved in corruption inside the Lokayukta," BJP leader Jagadish Shettar said in the Legislative Assembly . "The SIT is a way for the government to wash its hands of the entire episode," he said, alleging that the Additional DGP Kamal Pant-led team is yet to get full powers to take charge of the probe.

JD(S) floor leader HD Kumaraswamy said the state government had used the Lokayukta to file cases against him and quickly followed it up with FIRs. "But tell me, why did the Lokayukta police superintendent Sonia Narang take so long to file FIR against Ashwin, the son of Justice Rao?" Kumaraswamy asked.