NGO seeks clarification on HC orders on Lokayukta police

Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP), an NGO, has sought clarification on the scope of the High Court’s orders on a matter related to strengthening of the Lokayukta police.

JSP’s impleading application states the government kept the Court in the dark about its plan to shut down the Lokayukta police during the last hearing on March 8.

“Over the last nine months, the High Court issued several directives to strengthen the Lokayukta police. The government feared strengthening the Lokayukta police and hence chose to shut it down on the pretext of complying with court directives,'' Supreme Court advocate K V Dhananjay, who will appear for the JSP, stated in the application.

Adarsh R Iyer of JSP said the ACB was created to avoid compliance of court directions. During the last hearing on strengthening of the Lokayukta police, the government informed the Court that the Cabinet had approved the establishment of vigilance cells. “However, it did not produce the draft on the ground that the chief minister had retained the file. However, a few days later, the government disbanded the Lokayukta police and replaced it with ‘vigilance cells’ and the ‘Anti-Corruption Bureau’.

The application stated, “Clarification becomes necessary as the directives of this Court show an unmistakable resolve to strengthen the Lokayukta police while those very directives have been cited by the government to altogether shut down the Lokayukta police.''

 The matter will come up for hearing on March 29.