Karnataka - Bangalore   

`Lok Ayukta has no powers to conduct raids'

Staff Reporter

`The institution is yet to get stay orders on 125 petitions against raids vacated'

BANGALORE: The Lok Ayukta is yet to get the stay orders vacated on 125 petitions questioning the locus standi of the authority to conduct raids on officials of various departments, according to Upa Lok Ayukta G. Patri Basavana Goud.

The raids were conducted when N. Venkatachala was the Lok Ayukta. "It is not within the powers of the Lok Ayukta to conduct raids. The Lok Ayukta can only conduct visits. As raids were not conducted lawfully, the High Court stayed the actions taken during such raids. We want to take action within the framework of law and avoid the intervention of the High Court," Mr. Goud told presspersons here on Wednesday.

Mr. Goud said he and Lok Ayukta N. Santosh Hegde would visit offices of various government departments and take action against officials for their misconduct. "But these visits will not be raids," he added.

Depending on the nature of complaints, they would plan their visits to government offices during their first joint three-day tour of Mandya, Mysore and Hassan districts, Mr. Goud said.

After Mr. Hegde took charge as Lok Ayukta, one month was spent on restructuring the functioning of the institution. This included proposing amendments to the Karnataka Lok Ayukta Act, to remove and reallocate tasks of some Lok Ayukta personnel, and pursuing with the State Government and the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court to fill the vacancies in the police and judicial wings of the institution, he said.

Mr. Goud said 55 MLAs and 14 MLCs were yet to file statutory statement of assets and liabilities before the Lok Ayukta. A list of defaulters would be published in newspapers on Friday. Though action could not be taken against defaulting legislators, the Lok Ayukta could recommend for their removal from the post of Minister or chairman of boards and corporations. This recommendation would be made only if there was a complaint against the Minister or chairman concerned, he added.

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