The West Bengal Assembly on Thursday gave its approval to the lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2018, which keeps the Chief Minister beyond its ambit with regard to allegations of corruption in matters concerned with public order.
According to the legislation, the lokayukta can investigate allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister on 58 of the 59 subjects on the state list, but only after a nod by two-third members of the House present and voting.
Just before the Bill was passed, ruling TMC legislator Tapas Roy moved the amendment - which was passed by the House - adding the clause about the lokayukta needing pre-approval of the House to start an probe on corruption allegations against the chief minister.
The debate was heated, with the opposition resenting the two clauses - the Chief Minister being kept outside the purview of the lokayukta on matters of public order and the pre-requisite for the lokayukta to get the approval of two-third members of the House present and voting before starting a probe into allegations against the Chief Minister on other matters.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, claimed that she had given the people the right to question her credibility.
Alleged that the opposition and a section of the media were creating confusion by claiming that the CM has been kept entirely outside the purview of the lokayukta bill, she said exclusion of the office of the CM on maters of public order only pertained to police recruitment, force deployment and any other emergency situation.