CHENNAI : On Monday, the last day of the current session of the Assembly and a day before the Tamil Nadu government is required to inform the Supreme Court of its progress on the matter, the House passed a Bill to set up a Lokayukta with virtually no discussion, even as the opposition DMK staged a walk out.
Tabling the Tamil Nadu Lokayukta Bill, 2018 in the House, minister D Jayakumar said the Centre had earlier enacted the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, which provides for a Lokayukta, or public ombudsman, in every State. As per the Bill, the Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Lokayukta Act, 2018.
The chairperson of the Lokayukta would be a judge of the High Court or a person with 25 years’ experience in anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance and law.
The body will have four members, of whom two shall be judicial members while non-judicial members should have 25 years of experience in anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance and law.The chairperson and the members shall be appointed by the Governor, on the recommendation of the selection committee comprising the Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition or the leader of the single largest party in opposition in the Assembly.
The selection committee shall regulate its own procedure for selecting the chairperson and members. The chairperson and every member hold office as such for a term of five years from the date he/she enters into office or until he/she attains the age of 70, whichever is earlier. The Lokayukta’s jurisdiction extends to any person who is or has been a minister of the State, member of the legislative Assembly, all officers and employees of the State, any body or board or corporation or authority or company or society or trust or autonomous body established by an Act of Parliament or the legislative Assembly of the state.
The inquiry wing of the Lokayukta shall have all powers of a civil code under the code of civil procedure, 1908. The inquiry wing can summon and enforce the attendance of any person and examining, require the discovery and production of any document, receive evidence on affidavits, request any public record or copy from any court or office, issuing commissions for the examination of witness or documents.
