Lokayukta Rao, Upalokayukta Adi 'precluded' from attending work

It is official now. Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao and Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi have been precluded from attending work.

A letter by the Legislative Secretariat to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) has stated that both the motions against the Lokayukta and the Upalokayukta have been moved in the Assembly.

On November 27, the last day of the winter session of the legislature, Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa had announced that both the motions had been admitted. Following media reports on this, in-charge Registrar M S Balakrishna had written to the Legislative Secretary on whether Upalokayukta can attend work. Prior to this, the Lokayukta in-charge registrar had submitted the documents pertaining to certain allegations stated in the petition submitted by the Congress MLAs against Justice Adi.

The letter from the Legislative Secretariat has not explained in detail whether Upalokayukta can attend office. The letter has, however quoted Section 14 of the amended Lokayukta Act which reads, “a Lokayukta or Upalokayukta facing a legislative motion for removal is precluded from discharging his duties during its pendency.''

With this letter from the Legislative Secretariat, the work at office of the Lokayukta has come to a standstill. The senior officials at the Lokayukta office have decided to take administrative decision and adjourn the hearing of complaints.

“There are several reports ready for dispatch. However, with the Upalokayukta not attending office, none of the reports can be forwarded to the government. An average of 5-10 reports, recommending action against the errant government officials, would get dispatched everyday from Justice Adi's office. This apart, several complaints at the last stage of enquiry are pending,'' an official said.

As many as 13,000 complaints are pending with the Lokayukta while hundreds of government officials are getting away from action because of the void in the Lokayukta institution. “More than that, thousands of people with complaints will be deprived of justice. There are thousands of complaints of dereliction of duty, maladministration and deliberate delay in discharging official duty, against lower rung officials,” the official said.   
Leave extended

Meanwhile, Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao, who has been on leave since July 27, has again extended his leave till December 17. The Lokayukta had last extended his leave on October 22, till December 5.

On Friday, Justice Rao has again communicated that he would be extending his leave for 10 days from December 7. Justice Rao first went on leave on July 27 after his son Yerabati Ashwin was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing corruption and extortion from within Lokayukta.