BV.Shivashankar
Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah executive has drawn flak for defanging the Lokayukta, but the anti-corruption watchdog has been on a downward spiral for a very long time.
Observers say other folks have turn out to be sceptical of the institution — a feeling that mirrored in the drastic fall in footfall at its headquarters in the central business district. Perhaps, it's this decrease which became safety staff complacent — one reason why a complainant armed with a knife could brazenly stroll into Lokayukta P Viswanath Shetty’s chamber on Wednesday and stab him many times. The walk-through metal detector on the entrance had fallen into disrepair a number of months ago.
“The spirit of the institution now not exists,” says J S D Pani, an RTI activist, a regular on the Lokayukta workplace when Justice N Santhosh Hegde used to be on the helm between 2006 and 2011. “While nobody is to be blamed, this can be a truth that only a few other folks consult with the workplace these days. It is most likely why government have long past simple on security features.”
Official information show the Lokayukta would obtain 166 complaints an afternoon on a mean in 2011. That quantity fell to nearly nil in 2015 when Lokayukta Justice V Bhaskar Rao used to be arrested on corruption charges and the post fell vacant for a number of moths. The workplace is staffed with 10 additional registrars (enquiry) (ARE), and 10 deputy registrars (enquiry) (DRE), who hear cases. But assets say the court docket halls had been near-empty during the day.
However, other folks started visiting the workplace with complaints after Justice Shetty took price ultimate year. Lokayukta registrar H M Nanjundaswamy stated the collection of complaints registered stood at about 20 an afternoon till ultimate week.
“People consult with the Lokayukta workplace for 2 reasons: to report complaints and attend hearings of pending cases,” stated Nanjundaswamy. “It is right the footfall had hit rock-bottom when the institute used to be headless. Just when the numbers started expanding, this unfortunate incident (stabbing) took place.”
The Lokayukta receives an annual outlay of Rs 55 crore, but officials say that is for management and salary expenses. Officials are particularly annoyed over executive officials’ claim that the company may have were given the metal detector fastened.
“The Lokayukta workplace wrote to the police commissioner in January 2015, not easy that the safety gadget be upgraded,” stated Nanjundaswamy. “Over 20 reminders had been sent since then, but to no avail. They may have no less than repaired the walk-through metal detector.”
While the workplace requires no less than 20 safety staff, it has 9 constables at the present. “We need to blame the government for this,” stated Justice Hegde. “The present regime had tried to scrap the Lokayukta’s grievance-redressal authority in 2014 and had that took place, other folks would have stopped visiting the workplace. When that move failed, the government created the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) without asking anyone, defanging the Lokayukta.”
Hegde went on to say, “While Justice Bhaskar Rao’s case nearly destroyed the reputation of the institution, it was unnecessary in the eyes of the general public after it misplaced its investigation wing to the ACB.”
Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah executive has drawn flak for defanging the Lokayukta, but the anti-corruption watchdog has been on a downward spiral for a very long time.
Observers say other folks have turn out to be sceptical of the institution — a feeling that mirrored in the drastic fall in footfall at its headquarters in the central business district. Perhaps, it's this decrease which became safety staff complacent — one reason why a complainant armed with a knife could brazenly stroll into Lokayukta P Viswanath Shetty’s chamber on Wednesday and stab him many times. The walk-through metal detector on the entrance had fallen into disrepair a number of months ago.
“The spirit of the institution now not exists,” says J S D Pani, an RTI activist, a regular on the Lokayukta workplace when Justice N Santhosh Hegde used to be on the helm between 2006 and 2011. “While nobody is to be blamed, this can be a truth that only a few other folks consult with the workplace these days. It is most likely why government have long past simple on security features.”
Official information show the Lokayukta would obtain 166 complaints an afternoon on a mean in 2011. That quantity fell to nearly nil in 2015 when Lokayukta Justice V Bhaskar Rao used to be arrested on corruption charges and the post fell vacant for a number of moths. The workplace is staffed with 10 additional registrars (enquiry) (ARE), and 10 deputy registrars (enquiry) (DRE), who hear cases. But assets say the court docket halls had been near-empty during the day.
However, other folks started visiting the workplace with complaints after Justice Shetty took price ultimate year. Lokayukta registrar H M Nanjundaswamy stated the collection of complaints registered stood at about 20 an afternoon till ultimate week.
“People consult with the Lokayukta workplace for 2 reasons: to report complaints and attend hearings of pending cases,” stated Nanjundaswamy. “It is right the footfall had hit rock-bottom when the institute used to be headless. Just when the numbers started expanding, this unfortunate incident (stabbing) took place.”
The Lokayukta receives an annual outlay of Rs 55 crore, but officials say that is for management and salary expenses. Officials are particularly annoyed over executive officials’ claim that the company may have were given the metal detector fastened.
“The Lokayukta workplace wrote to the police commissioner in January 2015, not easy that the safety gadget be upgraded,” stated Nanjundaswamy. “Over 20 reminders had been sent since then, but to no avail. They may have no less than repaired the walk-through metal detector.”
While the workplace requires no less than 20 safety staff, it has 9 constables at the present. “We need to blame the government for this,” stated Justice Hegde. “The present regime had tried to scrap the Lokayukta’s grievance-redressal authority in 2014 and had that took place, other folks would have stopped visiting the workplace. When that move failed, the government created the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) without asking anyone, defanging the Lokayukta.”
Hegde went on to say, “While Justice Bhaskar Rao’s case nearly destroyed the reputation of the institution, it was unnecessary in the eyes of the general public after it misplaced its investigation wing to the ACB.”
From 166 plaints a day to 20: Lokayukta is losing its sheen
![From 166 plaints a day to 20: Lokayukta is losing its sheen]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 12, 2018
Rating:
