Bengaluru: The Karnataka Lokayukta found unauthorised absence by officials, and several irregularities during a surprise inspection of taluk offices in Bengaluru city and Bengaluru Rural districts on Saturday.
Five taluk offices in Bengaluru city and four in Bengaluru Rural were inspected. Justice BS Patil, the Lokayukta of Karnataka, personally inspected three offices in Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South and Yelahanka taluks.
“In one of the offices, the tahsildar was unavailable,” Justice Patil told DH. “He had not applied for leave nor informed anyone. When our officers called him half a dozen times, he didn’t respond. There were also 20-25 complainants, who gave their complaints on a format prepared by our officers.”
The Lokayukta said that some of the grievances were immediately redressed.
“In Yelahanka, over a dozen taluk office officials were unauthorizedly absent. No entry was made in the movement register. The tahsildar, when asked, said that his permission was not taken, he was not informed and he had to appear in a court case. I have directed the tahsildar and the unauthorised absentee officials to appear before me on Monday along with details of the work assigned.”
The Lokayukta also said that surprise inspections will continue in the days ahead as they strive to unearth maladministration.
The Ombudsman initiated the search after repeated complaints by the public about the “irregularities and harassment” in the taluk offices. It said that 599 cases, all in different stages of investigation, were registered with them to date in connection with the taluk offices in Bengaluru city and Bengaluru Rural districts.
Upalokayukta Justice K N Phaneendra conducted an inspection in Doddaballapura and Devenahalli taluk offices.
Published 20 January 2024, 21:43 IST