Lokayukta Bill: Activists stage protest outside TN assembly, detained

CHENNAI: Police detained four members of Arappor Iyakkam and Satta Panchayat Iyakkam on Monday when they protested against the Lokayukta Bill being passed in the Tamil Nadu assembly.
Arappor Iyakkam members Jayaram Venkatesan, Atther Ahmed and Prashanth and Satta panchayat Iyakkam president Siva Ilango staged the protest near the secretariat.

Jayaram said the state had taken more than four years to get this Bill to the assembly. “How can they pass the Bill without holding a public consultation? We have held several public hearings and even submitted a model bill, but there was no response. We tried meeting the minister of personnel and administrative reforms D Jayakumar and sent him several messages. But there was no response,” he said.

He added that when the central government passed the Lokpal Bill, it held several consultations with the public.

“What is the hurry? The Supreme Court has clearly said in its order that the government should show the progress. The court has not ordered them to pass it by July 10. Without public consultation, this bill will be toothless,” he said.