Maharashtra will bring a Lokayukta law on the lines of the Centre’s Lokpal Act, which will bring the Chief Minister and other ministers under its ambit, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
The former Maharashtra CM announced this while addressing a press conference in Nagpur, saying that the bill will be introduced in the assembly in the upcoming winter session that begins tomorrow. He said that the Maharashtra government has approved the Anna Hazare Committee report of introducing Lokayukta in Maharashtra on the lines of Lokpal.
The new law will provide for the appointment of a Lokayukta, who will be responsible for investigating corruption allegations against public servants, including the Chief Minister and ministers. The Lokayukta will have the power to initiate investigations on its own, or in response to complaints received from the public.
Today in the cabinet meeting, we have taken important decisions. We have approved the Anna Hazare Committee report of introducing Lokayukta in Maharashtra on the lines of Lokpal. A Bill will be brought in this session: Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/xj1QAf52Ej
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2022
“We will run the government with complete transparency. We will make Maharashtra corruption free, that’s why we have decided to bring Lokayukta law into the state,” Devendra Fadnavis said. He said that this is the biggest step the Eknath Shinde government has taken in the last five months.
“Anna Hazare was demanding the Lokpal Act in Maharashtra. We constituted a committee under the leadership of Anna Hazare for recommendations during our tenure. However, no action was taken on it during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. When we returned to power, we expedited the process,” added Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister.
The Lokayukta will have a team of five people including retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
The law will also establish a complaint redressal mechanism, through which members of the public can raise concerns about corruption or mismanagement in the government. The Lokayukta will have the authority to take action against public servants found to be involved in corruption or mismanagement.
The move to establish a Lokayukta in Maharashtra follows the passage of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 at the national level, which established the institution of the Lokpal at the Centre and provided for the creation of Lokayuktas in the states. The Act was passed in response to widespread public concern about corruption in the government, and aims to strengthen the fight against corruption by providing an independent mechanism for investigating and prosecuting corrupt officials.
The establishment of a Lokayukta in Maharashtra is expected to improve accountability and transparency in the state government, and help to build public trust in the government. It is hoped that the law will encourage more people to report corruption and mismanagement, and discourage public servants from engaging in corrupt practices.
