Siddaramaiah government moves to empower Lokayukta

BANGALORE: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has proposed a new Lokayukta with sweeping powers to probe and prosecute even the Chief Minister. If the bill is passed, Karnataka will become the first state to have an independent anti-corruption body with powers to probe and prosecute ministers and legislators. The ruling Congress has set out to do this to join the anti-corruption chorus in the country and to convey the point that it is against corruption regardless of who indulges in it.

“We are still working on the finer aspects of the bill, and we will move it in the assembly on Monday,” Karnataka’s Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra told ET. “We have drafted our bill on the lines of Lokpal, and our law may even have some new features that the Lokpal does not have,” he said. The proposed law meets the long-standing demand of the anti-grant institution which had been seeking suo moto powers to probe even the CM’s actions.

The law, in the present form, however, allowed the Lokayukta, a retired Supreme Court judge, to probe and prosecute the CM and others only on receipt of a compliant with sworn affidavit.

The new Lokayukta will be an eight-member body with four members drawn from the judiciary, and four others with the knowl-edge of law from the society. “We are creating a multi-member body so that all complaints are carefully examined and innocent persons are not harassedt,” Jayachandra said. Karnataka set up the independent anti-corruption body in 1985, when Ramakrishna Hegde known for his ‘clean politics’ was the CM, and became the first state to do so. Main Opposition BJP has no major issues over the bill though its MLAs are yet to see it.

“This is a good move. Bringing the CM under the Lokayukta ambit is appropriate. We will suggest improvements if we feel the need for any,” said S Suresh Kumar, former Law Minister and Karnataka BJP spokesperson. BJP regime headed by BS Yeddyurappa had in 2009 amended the law following criticism that it was soft on corruption and loved a weak Lok ayukta.