Assembly fails to find ways to curb corruption in Lokayukta

Two days of discussion in the Legislative Assembly have failed to find a solution to curbing corruption in the institution of Lokayukta. 

The discussion, which concluded in the Lower House on Thursday, saw the ruling party sticking to its stand that only a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will probe the extortion racket in the anti-corruption agency. The Opposition BJP and JD(S) members staged walkouts to express displeasure that their demand for handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was not met. 

Amendments
Replying to the discussion, Law Minister T B Jayachandra reiterated that the government was ready to bring in amendments to the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984, to remove loopholes and stem the lack of clarity in the legislation to remove the Lokayukta. However, he stopped short of going into the specifics and fixing a time frame on bringing in the amendments. 

Earlier in the day, members cutting across party lines demanded that Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao own moral responsibility for his son’s involvement in the extortion racket and step down. S Suresh Kumar of the BJP said the House should adopt a resolution that “taking into consideration the mood of the people and the opinion of the legislator,” Justice Rao should quit. “We can sent the resolution to Justice Rao”, Kumar said. 

Mixed response
However, Kumar’s suggestion received mixed response. While some members supported his view, Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said it would be an insult to the House if Justice Rao remained “indifferent” even after receiving the resolution and refused to quit. 

Shivalinge Gowda of the JD(S) said the government, instead of wasting time on discussion, should immediately amend relevant sections of the Lokayukta Act and remove Justice Rao from the post. K R Ramesh Kumar of the Congress said the Lokayukta was the creation of the legislature and the House had the legislative power to remove Justice Rao. “We should empower ourselves and complete the task at the earliest,” he said. 

Jayachandra said the SIT was empowered with sufficient powers to investigate into all angles in the case. The government was not shielding anybody and would ensure the guilty were brought to book, he added. DH News Service