Lokayukta, govt disagree over transfer of officers

The state government is at loggerheads with the Lokayukta over transfer of officers. The government wants to call the shots in the appointment of officers on deputation to the corruption watchdog, while the Lokayukta insists it must be consulted on fresh postings as per law.

The Lokayukta has decided not to relieve officers transferred by the government. The transfer of 17 police inspectors, who have completed two years on  deputation to the Lokayukta, has become the bone of contention between the institution and the government.

The list of officers transferred was sent, but there was no mention of their substitutes. Meanwhile, Lokayukta Registrar H Nanjudaswamy wrote to the government, drawing its attention to an order of the High Court that the “government must fill the vacancies first”. The court also directed the government to send a list of officers to be posted to the Lokayukta before issuing the transfer orders. The registrar also highlighted the practice of appointment and transfer of officers “in consultation” with the Lokayukta.

“The government did not reply to the letter and instead sent a list of 14 inspectors appointed to the Lokayukta. Another letter was despatched asking the government to suggest an SP-rank officer in place of Dharwad Lokayukta SP, Yashoda Vantigudi. The government replied that it would consider this request. Due consultation has not been done and we will not relieve the officers,” a senior Lokayukta official said.

The appointment of public servants from various departments to the watchdog should be in consultation with the Lokayukta. Until October 2014, the consultation process was “full and effective”. In an unprecedented move, however, former Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao agreed to an “oral consultation”. On April 19, 2014, then chief secretary Kaushik Mukherjee and former additional chief secretary to the chief minister, D N Narasimha Raju, met Justice Rao at his residence and signed on the proceedings to alter the procedure mentioned in the Lokayukta Act.

“The chief secretary assured that hereinafter, for the posting and transfer of any officer from the government to the Karnataka Lokayukta and vice versa, the chief secretary or any other secretaries authorised will orally consult the Lokayukta personally before effecting such transfers,” the proceeding stated.

A senior official in the Lokayukta said that even oral consultation had not happened in the recent transfers.

“It is up to the next Lokayukta to decide on the amendment to the consultation process. Oral consultation is necessary as per the proceedings,” the official said.

“It is all the more important for the institution to check the antecedents and service record of the officers before posting them. The government can only suggest the names, but the institution takes the final call.”