Monday 25 April 2011

GOA LOKYUKTA BILL NEEDS MORE TEETH TO TACKE CORRUPTION

PANJIM: Member of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, Santosh Hegde, on Monday said that Goa Lokayukta Bill needed more teeth to tackle corruption in the state.  Hegde, who attended a brainstorming session on Goa Lokayukta Bill here, said that the Bill should give policing powers to Lokayukta so that he can either conduct a probe or personally supervise the course of investigation in the cases of corruption. 
"I have studied Goa bill with provisions made in it but it still requires modifications and changes, which will make it up to date in today's context," the Karnataka Lokayukta said.
Incidentally, earlier in the day, the Digambar Kamat government said that it was intending to withdraw Lokayukta Bill, tabled in the state Assembly in 2003, due to implicit lacuna and legal infirmities.
The former SC judge, who is known for his vigorous campaign against corruption, said that an important aspect of Prevention of Corruption Act wherein investigation of a corruption case cannot be conducted by any police officer below the rank of DCP, or other than a person authorised by a notification of state government, is omitted from the Goa Lokayukta Bill.
Hegde said that section 36 of Criminal Procedure Code that deals with "powers of superior officers of police" should be amended, without referring to President for assent.  "That would give institution (of Lokayukta) the right to interfere in the investigation which also means supervision of the investigations," he said. – PTI

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.