The number of pending cases in the Lokayukta are increasing as the post of the Lokayukta is lying vacant for more than a year now.
Around 2,300 cases were pending under the jurisdiction of Lokayukta as on December 1, 2016. The number of complaints has gone up rapidly as the pending cases under Lokayukta jurisdiction was around 730 in January 2016.
Fearing removal, the then Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao resigned in December 2015 over an extortion racket in the office of the anti-corruption watchdog, involving his son Yerabati Ashwin. Before his resignation, Justice Rao had gone on a long leave from July 2015 after Ashwin was arrested by the Special Investigation Team in connection with the case. The cases under Lokayukta jurisdiction have not made any progress since then.
Later, the state government proposed the name of former State Law Commission chairperson Justice S R Nayak for the post. Though Governor Vajubhai Vala rejected the proposal, the government is still keen on appointing Justice Nayak as Lokayukta.
On one hand, the state government is reluctant to fill the post of Lokayukta, but on the other it continues to refer cases to the Lokayukta. On many occasions, the government has ordered Lokayukta enquiries knowing well that there is no Lokayukta.
Not just referring cases, the government has even issued reminders asking why reports have not been submitted in certain enquiries.
"Such reminders were issued as officials facing enquiries are not considered for promotion. How can the enquiry reports in the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta be finalised in the absence of the Lokayukta?'' a senior official told DH.
The official said from September to November 2016 as many as 189 cases were registered under the Lokayukta jurisdiction. However, apart from scrutiny, these complaints have not seen any progress. Besides, around 110 departmental enquiry reports are also pending.
The general public are at the receiving end. Complainants are visiting the Lokayukta office seeking to know the status of their complaint. Some complaints which come under the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta have remained unattended, the official said.
On the contrary, the pendency of cases under the jurisdiction of Upalokayuktas has come down drastically in the past five to six months.
Around 2,300 cases were pending under the jurisdiction of Lokayukta as on December 1, 2016. The number of complaints has gone up rapidly as the pending cases under Lokayukta jurisdiction was around 730 in January 2016.
Fearing removal, the then Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao resigned in December 2015 over an extortion racket in the office of the anti-corruption watchdog, involving his son Yerabati Ashwin. Before his resignation, Justice Rao had gone on a long leave from July 2015 after Ashwin was arrested by the Special Investigation Team in connection with the case. The cases under Lokayukta jurisdiction have not made any progress since then.
Later, the state government proposed the name of former State Law Commission chairperson Justice S R Nayak for the post. Though Governor Vajubhai Vala rejected the proposal, the government is still keen on appointing Justice Nayak as Lokayukta.
On one hand, the state government is reluctant to fill the post of Lokayukta, but on the other it continues to refer cases to the Lokayukta. On many occasions, the government has ordered Lokayukta enquiries knowing well that there is no Lokayukta.
Not just referring cases, the government has even issued reminders asking why reports have not been submitted in certain enquiries.
"Such reminders were issued as officials facing enquiries are not considered for promotion. How can the enquiry reports in the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta be finalised in the absence of the Lokayukta?'' a senior official told DH.
The official said from September to November 2016 as many as 189 cases were registered under the Lokayukta jurisdiction. However, apart from scrutiny, these complaints have not seen any progress. Besides, around 110 departmental enquiry reports are also pending.
The general public are at the receiving end. Complainants are visiting the Lokayukta office seeking to know the status of their complaint. Some complaints which come under the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta have remained unattended, the official said.
On the contrary, the pendency of cases under the jurisdiction of Upalokayuktas has come down drastically in the past five to six months.