Karnataka

‘Govt delaying sanction to prosecute corrupt officials’

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gvtThe Lokayukta, Justice (retd) Y Bhaskar Rao, has said he would seek the Governor’s intervention if the State government further delayed the sanction to prosecute officers accused of corruption.

The Lokayukta had a long list of officers whose prosecution was yet to be sanctioned by the government, Justice Rao told a press conference on ‘Lokayukta Day’ here on Thursday.

So far, the government had given only 75 sanction orders whereas 94 other cases and 24 requests had been pending with it for more than a year, he added. “I would be forced to make a detailed representation to the Governor, seeking his intervention as per Section 12 (5) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act if the government fails to address the problem.”

At the start of 2013, as many as 13,619 cases were pending and the number of complaints received last year was 4,335. Around 11,010 complaints were disposed of last year whereas 6,944 are pending. The Lokayukta sent 736 reports to the government on various issues of administration in 2013.

“We are making efforts to ensure complaints are filed and reports sent to the government under Section 12 of the Lokayukta Act,” Justice Rao said. He added that the government was yet to reply to his two letters on steps to be taken for speedy disposal of cases. “It has closed its eyes even though there is a Supreme Court order in this regard,” he fumed.

The Lokayukta further said some government officials had failed to act on the proposal seeking sanction for prosecution. A probe had begun against such officers under the Lokayukta Act and notices served on a few of them, he added.

Legal assistance

Justice Rao said he had requested the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, D H Waghela, to ensure legal assistance to illiterate public to fill complaint forms through legal aid clinics.

He said Chief Justice Waghela had accepted his request to direct the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority in that regard. He also said the measures taken by the Lokayukta made the government to implement the biometric attendance system in all colleges and sanction 1,000 more rooms in hostels run by the social welfare department.

Besides, directions had been given to distribute title deeds to beneficiaries of Ashraya scheme within deadline, Justice Rao added.

He is a Software Engineer from Moodbidri currently living in Kuwait. He likes to travel and post interesting things about technology. He is the designer of Kannadigaworld.com. You may follow him on FB at fb.com/alanpaladka

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