‘To give city Lokayukta more bite’, LG signs off on probes director post

THE OFFICE OF THE LOKAYUKTA IS MANDATED WITH LOOKING INTO COMPLAINTS OF GRAFT BY PUBLIC FUNCTIONARIES

NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday approved a proposal for the creation of the post of director (investigation) to head the Delhi Lokayukta’s investigative wing, a move that aims to provide more teeth to the ombudsman.

The LG’S office said that the officer at the new post would be of “sufficient seniority”, and several posts of supporting staff, including assistants and peons, have been cleared which would be necessary for day-to-day functioning of this office.

The Delhi government did not comment on the LG’S decision.

The office of the Lokayukta is mandated with looking into complaints of corruption by public functionaries. Justice Harish Chandra Mishra, a former judge of the Jharkhand high court, is the current Lokayukta. Delhi has had five Lokayuktas since the office came into existence in September 1997.

An official from the administrative reforms department said the office of the Lokayukta in Delhi has been severely crippled since its inception due to the lack of an investigative director, and the new posts will help the ombudsman discharge its functions and responsibilities.

In October, Saxena, while clearing the 16th and 17th annual reports of the Lokayukta for the years 2017-18 and 2018-19 for laying in the state assembly, had flagged the “inordinate delay of three years” in their submission.

“LG Saxena also highlighted the issues faced by the Lokayukta and advised the chief minister to address them. The Lokayukta, in successive reports, have been underlining that there are several hurdles and hindrances in the smooth and efficient functioning. Some of these relate to the independence of the Lokayukta due to lack of financial autonomy and sufficient staff,” an official from the LG office said, asking not to be named. The official added that the ombudsman repeatedly pointed out that “the Lokayukta in Delhi is not provided with any investigating agency and a single man posted as assistant director (investigation) is the only means of investigation available with the Delhi Lokayukta.”