JOIN USPIL alleges inaction on Karnataka Lokayukta reports
The High Court has ordered a notice to the chief secretary, Karnataka Lokayukta and principal secretaries of various government departments for failing to initiate action on the Lokayukta report.
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, was hearing a PIL filed by Sai Datta, a social activist. The petitioner said that no action has been initiated against the erring officials in more than 342 reports under section 12 (1) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act. Similarly, in 932 cases permission/consent is awaited from competent authorities for action as per rule 14 (2) (d) of Karnataka Civil Services (CCA)
Rules.
The petitioner sought directions against the principal secretaries, who act as competent authorities, as they have failed to take action on the reports forwarded by the office of the Lokayukta under section 12 (1) of
the act.
The report under section 12 of the Lokayukta Act is sent to the government after the Lokayukta or the Upalokayuktas are satisfied that action has to be initiated against the erring officials. In such instances, the competent authority should examine the report and intimate the Lokayukta /Upalokyukta about the action taken or proposed to be taken within 3 months of the date of receipt of such report, the petitioner said.
The petitioner also claimed that the inaction on the part of the competent authorities is nothing but abdicating their statutory duties and their actions of sitting over the reports for years together. This inaction has defeated the very object of the statute and the same needs to be addressed by fixing accountability, the petition said. The matter has been posted to June 4 for further consideration.