The Indian Express: Mumbai: Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
The
Maharashtra government has initiated action in barely 1 per cent of the
complaints lodged before the Lokayukta in the last three years. Information
obtained under the Right to Information Act reveals that while a total of
13,477 complaints have been registered with the Lokayutka between January 1,
2015 and May 31, 2017, the government has submitted action taken reports in
barely 144 cases.
The RTI reply
obtained by activist Jeetendra Ghadge reveals that the Lokayukta had
recommended action against officials in at least 316 cases. Replying to the
query, the office of the Lokayukta has admitted to be dissatisfied with the
government’s response in 642 cases. According to the reply, Lokayukta M L
Tahaliyani has approached Maharashtra’s Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in all these
cases.
Of the 13,477
complaints, 5,200 were lodged in 2015, 5,850 in 2016, and 2,427 were registered
till May 31, 2017. The Lokayukta disposed of 1,720 complaints at the
preliminary stage, ruling there was no ground to proceed. “This shows the
lackadaisical manner in which the government authorities treat complaints
raised before the Lokayukta,” said Ghadge. While the BJP had backed the Jan
Lokpal movement while in opposition, Ghadge said the party did not want a
strong independent anti-corruption watchdog now that it was in power.