JOIN US'Fix educational qualification to contest polls'
Inaugurating a seminar on “Upholding Values in Public Life” organised by Rashtriya Navanirmana Vedike to mark the 83rd birth anniversary of former CM late Ramakrishna Hegde she said, “We have fixed qualification even for appointing a peon. But there is no qualification for one to become a law-maker. How we can expect high moral values and standards from a law-maker who does not even have basic qualification?.”
She said decreasing faith in the law, delay in justice and the collapse of grievance redressal system have led to rampant corruption in public life. “It is estimated that around 36 per cent of food grains and 31 per cent of sugar meant for the poor are making way to the black market”, she said.
Legal framework
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde said that it is very difficult to prosecute a public servant under the present laws. Corruption cannot be controlled unless the law-makers make up their minds to fight corruption and bring in amendments to the law making it easy to bring the guilty officials to book, he postulated.
For instance, he said, section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act makes it mandatory to seek sanction from the head of the department to prosecute any corrupt officer. “When an officer is proved guilty of corruption, where is the need for any sanction? At the same time no sanction is required to prosecute a common man who is charged of giving bribe,” the Lokayukta pointed out.