No Lokpal for Maha yet

The Asian Age: Mumbai: Sunday, April 13, 2014.

Two months after the passing of the deadline set up by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan regarding implementation of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 2013 in the state, the general administration department of the government of Maharashtra has said in reply to an RTI query that it is still in a limbo regarding whether the Act should be passed in the same format or should it be amended.

After the Act was passed in the Parliament in December 2013, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had announced that the Lokayukta Act in the state would be implemented by February 2014.

The chief minister had said, “The state government is going to take every step needed to fulfill Rahul Gandhi’s directive on establishing a framework to tackle corruption by the forming of the Lokayukta in Maharashtra.”

After the deadline was crossed, an RTI query filed by activist Jeetendra Ghadge found that government officials are making use of the Section 63 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 2013, which mentions a one-year deadline for states that don’t have Lokayuktas. The Act is also silent about states that already have Lokayuktas. “Since Maharashtra already has a Lokayukta system in place, the officials are taking advantage of the ‘having no-deadlines’ to enact this Act,” said Mr Ghadge.

According to the reply given by A.N. Khot, under secretary of the state, “Lokayukta is already functional in the state since 1971, so there is no need to form a new Lokayukta. However, an amendment or new Act will be considered, but no decision has been taken yet.”

“This clearly proves that Maharashtra government has not even decided whether to amend the existing Act or make a new one. It shows the callousness of the government led by a party whose leader Rahul Gandhi was claiming it to be a game changer in the history of our country. I don’t see this Act getting passed in the next Assembly session in June this year either,” added Mr Ghadge.

Preeti Sharma Menon, spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said, “This government knows very well that if this Act is institutionalised properly, then most of the ministers and babus would be behind the bars. Be it Congress or BJP, they would always debate and pass it, but would never endorse it. I am not surprised.”

State chief minister Prithviraj Chavan could not be reached for his comment. However, Fauzia Khan, minister of state for general administration department (GAD) said, “We have had a few meetings and we are hopeful to push the enactment after the elections are over.”