HOME | NEWS | REPORT

August 4, 1998 ELECTIONS '98 COMMENTARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES YEH HAI INDIA! ARCHIVES

Kalyan mulls over bringing CM's office under Lok Ayukta Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh is seriously contemplating the inclusion of the chief minister's office within the purview of the Lok Ayukta, the independent investigating agency created some two decades ago to deal with corruption in high places. Taking a cue from the prime minister's plans to bring the country's highest executive office within the purview of the proposed Lok Pal Bill, Kalyan Singh feels, "There was no logical reason behind giving immunity to the chief minister when we were talking in terms of bringing the prime minister's activities too under check." Kalyan Singh told Rediff On The NeT, "Corruption is the root cause of most evils that have plagued our system today, therefore everybody, no matter how high and mighty, needs to be kept under check." As per the provisions of the UP Lok Ayukta Act 1975, the office was to be held by a retired judge of the high court who would be empowered to probe charges of corruption against ministers, legislators and senior bureaucrats. However, the office of chief minister was kept out of its jurisdiction and no chief minister has initiated any talk for bringing his own office under the purview of the institution. The BJP chief minister, who despite being known for setting high standards of integrity, has been unable to do much about the alleged irregularities being committed by some of his cabinet colleagues. Perhaps that could be the reason why he was also keen on vesting greater powers in the Lok Ayukta. "I would soon hold discussions with my own colleagues as well as leaders of other political parties on this issue and I am sure they would agree on giving the Lok Ayukta more teeth." Admitting that corruption travels down from the top, he made it loud and clear, "I am the last one to spare anyone irrespective of the status or position he is enjoying, if such a person was found indulging in corrupt practices." He also favoured "the need for more stringent laws in dealing with corruption in high places." He was of the view that those occupying high offices had managed to get away with anything since there was no such independent agency to go into charges of corruption at the highest level. And in a recent case, when Kalyan Singh wanted a probe to be initiated again his predecessor Mayawati, the Bahujan Samaj Party leader, he had to put the Central Bureau of Investigation after her in what has been unearthed as a multi-million-rupee float pump purchase scam. UP's Lok Ayukta, Justice Rajeshwar Singh, who is a retired judge of the Allahabad high court, agrees that there are inherent weaknesses in the institution, "as a result of which so many guilty persons went unpunished." He stressed the need to vest the Lok Ayukta with "powers to take suo motu cognisance of corrupt practices at the highest levels." Under the existing system, the Lok Ayukta is empowered only to go into complaints filed by all and sundry. "This alone could make world of a difference," he pointed out, citing the example of nearly half a dozen other states where necessary amendments had already been made to accord suo motu powers to the Lok Ayukta. Tell us what you think of this report

HOME | NEWS | BUSINESS | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT INFOTECH | TRAVEL | LIFE/STYLE | FREEDOM | FEEDBACK