The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday criticised the decision of the State Government to extend the lokayukta’s tenure by a year alleging that the regime was trying to influence the constitutional institution.
While talking to mediapersons here, leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Satyadev Katare said the lokayukta’s tenure had already been extended from five to six years in the State. Now, the Government has decided to extend it by one more year.“It is clear that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan wants to control the lokayukta institution so that the deeds of his corrupt ministerial colleagues and his own corrupt deeds could be covered,” he said.
He said that the extension of the lokayukta’s tenure has created a bizarre situation as the tenures of the Prime Minister, the President as well as the Ministers is fixed as five years. Rajya Sabha members enjoy the maximum tenure of six years. However, the State Government’s decision would set the State lokayukta’s tenure to seven years.
The Opposition leader said that the Government decided to amend the Madhya Pradesh lokayukta and Deputy-lokayukta Act-1981 through a Cabinet meeting although it could have brought about an amendment during the next Assembly Session.He said that he had also written to Governor Ram Naresh Yadav with regards to the decision. He pointed out that the Opposition leader is consulted before appointing the lokayukta. However, the Government did not consult him before making the amendment.