Tamil Nadu Assembly passes Lokayukta Bill

With just one day remaining to inform the Supreme Court about the steps it has taken to pass the Lokayukta Bill, the Tamil Nadu Government on Monday introduced and passed the Lokayukta Bill in the Legislative Assembly. The Tamil Nadu Lokayukta Bill 2018 was tabled in the House by D Jayakumar, Minister for Fisheries and Administrative Reforms and was adopted without any discussion or debate.

The DMK, the principal Opposition party staged a walk out when the Speaker refused  their demand to send the Bill to the select committee. “This is a toothless bill and we wanted the Government to legislate a bill with power,” said MK Stalin, leader of the Opposition. 

 The Supreme Court had asked Tamil Nadu on April 27 to submit a report on the steps the State has initiated to set up an anti-corruption mechanism to check incidents of graft in higher places. The last date for submitting the report is July 10.

The Bill tabled and adopted on Monday would enable the Government to order inquiry into corruption allegations against public servants. Since Monday was the last day of the current session of the Assembly, no discussion or debate was possible in the House about the Bill.

The Bill envisages the constitution of a four-member body with a chairperson, a judge of a High Court or a person with 25 years’ experience in anti-corruption policy , public administration, vigilance, finance and law.

Jayakumar described the Bill as a path breaking one which would bring all Government authorities under its ambit which is expected to put an end to corruption in high places. The Bill after being adopted would pave way for the creation of an organisation that would probe into graft charges against all Government and public servants. The jurisdiction of the Lokayukta will cover serving and former Ministers, sitting or ex-MLAs and State Government employees, said the Minister.

Jayakumar said the Centre had earlier enacted the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 which “provides” that every State has to establish the Lokayukta.Meanwhile many NGOs have lambasted the Government for not taking into confidence the general public before tabling the Lokayukta Bill 2018. “It is ironic that the Bill which  will give power to the citizens to question the people in power will be passed without speaking to the citizens,” said a social activist.

The last day of the session saw a wordy duel between chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy and Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin over the proposed Salem-Chennai eight-lane express highway. In a calling attention motion, Stalin alleged that the Government was not allowing him to air his apprehensions in the House over the express highway project. The Chief Minister said that there were no attempts by his Government to gag anybody. The Chennai-Salem green corridor was not for the development of Salem alone as made out by certain sections.