President Pranab Mukherjee gives assent to Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill

DEHRADUN: President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill, which will bring the Chief Minister among others under the ambit of the ombudsman, with a provision of punishment up to life imprisonment.

With the consent of the President, the state government will soon issue a notification to enforce the new law, Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar said today.

Besides the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs and government servants, including IAS and IPS officers, will come under the ambit of the new law. Former chief ministers, former ministers and retired officers will also be under the purview of the Lokayukta.

Former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BC Khanduri, who brought the Bill during his tenure in 2011, thanked the President for his approval.

Urging the Congress government in the state to implement the Act as soon as possible, Khanduri said this would set an example for rest of the country.

The Bill was unanimously passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly on November 1. Two days later on November 3, it was approved by Governor Margaret Alva.

It was then sent for President's approval as it falls in the Concurrent List.