Delhi Lokayukta asks President to censure Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit

NEW DELHI: In an embarrassment to chief minister Sheila Dikshit, the city Lokayukta on Monday slammed her for "misrepresenting" facts by announcing in the run up to 2008 assembly polls that 60,000 low-cost flats were ready and recommended to the President to censure her.

Deprecating the conduct of Dikshit, the Lokayukta, in his order, said people should "stand up against unethical practices" and build up a strong public opinion to ensure that public functionaries adhere to "high standards of integrity and conduct."

Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin's order came following investigation into the complaint filed by advocate Sunita Bhardwaj, a BJP worker.

Dikshit refused to comment on the order saying that she has not studied it. She, however, maintained that distribution of flats was a "complex process" and that the government was not trying to "mislead" anybody.

The Lokayukta held that ahead of 2008 assembly polls, Dikshit misrepresented to the public that 60,000 flats were ready for handing over knowing well that the same were not ready, in order to "obtain gain or favour to herself or her political party."

"It is high time that people stand up against unethical practices and build up a strong public opinion to ensure that public functionaries adhere to high standards of integrity and conduct.

"However, this change cannot come overnight and it will take time. Therefore the least which ought to be done is to tell the truth about the misconduct of a public functionary and to publicly deprecate it," he said.