Delhi government rejects demand to give more teeth to Lokayukta

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Lokayukta's demands for more teeth to deal with graft cases "effectively" and bringing civil servants under its jurisdiction have been stonewalled, with the city government rejecting them straightway.

Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin, who had in the recent past passed a number of adverse orders against the Delhi government, demanded powers of search and seizure and statutory powers for initiating contempt proceedings, but they too were turned down.

Strongly arguing for strenthening the ombudsman, Sarin had sought powers of search and seizure to probe graft cases and pointed such powers have been vested in Lokayuktas of certain other states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

"Because of such powers, Lokayuktas in such states are more effective in their functioning," he said in a report to the government.

However, rejecting the demand, the government said that as per provisions of the Delhi Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta Act, the ombudsman take the services of officers from government investigating agency or any other agency to conduct a probe.

The Lokayukta currently hires private investigators or other agencies to carry out probe as it does not have an investigating wing.

Sarin also sought bringing civil servants under the ambit of the Lokayukta saying corrupt or wrongful act of elected representatives normally involves "complicity" of the bureaucrats.

"In case of misuse of power or corruption, the respective role of the public functionaries vis-a-vis bureaucrats is so intermingled and enmeshed that it would be difficult to decide whether the role of one functionary ends and that of the other begins," Sarin said.