NAINITAL: Uttarakhand has been without a Lokayukta for two years, ever since then anti-graft chief M M Ghildiyal stepped down from the post in September 2013, an RTI reply has revealed.
Besides this, as many as 18 posts are lying vacant in the office against the sanctioned strength of 48.
The RTI reply reveals that as many as 640 complaints are still pending with the Lokayukta office and the last complaint was disposed of almost a year ago in October 2014.
The state government passed its own Lokayukta Bill 2014 after the state legislative assembly chose to drop Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta Bill 1975.
The documents also revealed that funds of more than Rs 19 crore were sanctioned for the anti-corruption department since the birth of the hill state and more than Rs 15 crore has already been spent by it.
Civil rights activists have alleged that due to the absence of the Lokayukta, there is a drop in the number of complaints related to corruption in the state. Gurvinder Singh Chaddha, the Haldwani-based activist who sought an RTI reply in the matter, said, "The reply also shows that the office of the Lokayukta used to get nearly 1,000 complaints in a year regarding rampant corruption and related matters. Inordinate delay in appointment of the Lokayukta is hampering the fight against corruption."
The reply revealed that 7,544 complaints were filed in 12 years (2002-2013), out of which 6,930 were disposed of by the office. While a maximum of 993 complaints were lodged in 2005, only 89 were filed with the body in 2002, the year of its introduction in the state.
When contacted, Uttarakhand finance minister Indira Hridayesh said, "The CM has held several meetings regarding the appointment of the Lokayukta in the state, but the officials concerned could not take a unanimous decision on the proposed names for the post. The Lokayukta will be appointed soon to meet the very purpose of the institution."
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP lashed out at the Congress government, saying it was a "deliberate" attempt to keep the post vacant. "Earlier in 2011, our government passed the bill which was in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Lokpal Bill and the CM and judiciary also came under its ambit. But this government amended that bill and passed its own bill. Now, with office not functional without Lokayukta, complaints regarding rampant corruption in many sectors like mining, forest, public works, health, education and many other are going unnoticed. The Congress government is deliberately delaying the process to protect the mafia and corrupt machinery," BJP leader Prakash Pant said.
In 2014, Uttarakhand became the first state to adopt the provisions of the Lokpal Act amidst stiff resistance from BJP. The members of the BJP had walked out of the assembly when the bill was put to vote.
The bill mentions that the Lokayukta office will be headed by a practising or retired judge or chief justice of the high court. Apart from the head, there will be four members on the panel out of which half will be from the judiciary and other half from SC/ST/OBC category, minorities or women.
The provisions of the legislation also state that no member of legislature of any other state or Union territory can be a member of the Lokayukta body of the hill state. The appointment of the head of the office and its members will be made by a five-member selection committee headed by the chief minister.
Besides this, as many as 18 posts are lying vacant in the office against the sanctioned strength of 48.
The RTI reply reveals that as many as 640 complaints are still pending with the Lokayukta office and the last complaint was disposed of almost a year ago in October 2014.
The state government passed its own Lokayukta Bill 2014 after the state legislative assembly chose to drop Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta Bill 1975.
The documents also revealed that funds of more than Rs 19 crore were sanctioned for the anti-corruption department since the birth of the hill state and more than Rs 15 crore has already been spent by it.
Civil rights activists have alleged that due to the absence of the Lokayukta, there is a drop in the number of complaints related to corruption in the state. Gurvinder Singh Chaddha, the Haldwani-based activist who sought an RTI reply in the matter, said, "The reply also shows that the office of the Lokayukta used to get nearly 1,000 complaints in a year regarding rampant corruption and related matters. Inordinate delay in appointment of the Lokayukta is hampering the fight against corruption."
The reply revealed that 7,544 complaints were filed in 12 years (2002-2013), out of which 6,930 were disposed of by the office. While a maximum of 993 complaints were lodged in 2005, only 89 were filed with the body in 2002, the year of its introduction in the state.
When contacted, Uttarakhand finance minister Indira Hridayesh said, "The CM has held several meetings regarding the appointment of the Lokayukta in the state, but the officials concerned could not take a unanimous decision on the proposed names for the post. The Lokayukta will be appointed soon to meet the very purpose of the institution."
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP lashed out at the Congress government, saying it was a "deliberate" attempt to keep the post vacant. "Earlier in 2011, our government passed the bill which was in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Lokpal Bill and the CM and judiciary also came under its ambit. But this government amended that bill and passed its own bill. Now, with office not functional without Lokayukta, complaints regarding rampant corruption in many sectors like mining, forest, public works, health, education and many other are going unnoticed. The Congress government is deliberately delaying the process to protect the mafia and corrupt machinery," BJP leader Prakash Pant said.
In 2014, Uttarakhand became the first state to adopt the provisions of the Lokpal Act amidst stiff resistance from BJP. The members of the BJP had walked out of the assembly when the bill was put to vote.
The bill mentions that the Lokayukta office will be headed by a practising or retired judge or chief justice of the high court. Apart from the head, there will be four members on the panel out of which half will be from the judiciary and other half from SC/ST/OBC category, minorities or women.
The provisions of the legislation also state that no member of legislature of any other state or Union territory can be a member of the Lokayukta body of the hill state. The appointment of the head of the office and its members will be made by a five-member selection committee headed by the chief minister.
TOI 8-9-15
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