With the Congress and the BJP mounting their attack on the Arvind Kejriwal Government and forcing it on the back foot, top political bosses of the AAP have taken firm view in the internal meeting to appoint lokayukta at the earliest. Though no decision was taken in this regard in the meeting, officials of the Chief Minister’s Office said appointment of lokayukta is one of the top priorities of the Government at this moment. According to sources, the issue of lokayukta has been discussed at length in the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
In a related development, leader of Opposition and BJP MlA Vijendra Gupta met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday and conveyed concern about the non-appointment of lokayukta in the national Capital. The Opposition parties are alleging that it was on the issue of lokpal that Kejriwal had resigned from the Government after 49 days last year, alleging that the BJP and the Congress didn’t want a strong anti-graft body; while today the Kejriwal Government is sitting on the appointment of lokayukta.
Both the Congress and the BJP are alleging that the Kejriwal Government was not keen to appoint lokayukta as its two dozen MlAs are facing criminal charges. Two days earlier, Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken took out a protest march over non-appointment of the lokayukta.
The post has been lying vacant for 18 months since November 6, 2013 with over 400 pending cases. Every month, close to 25-30 new complaints are being filed at the office but the staff can do little about it. “While receiving the complaints, we tell the complainants that it will be taken up once a new lokayukta is appointed,” said an official. As per the law, lokayukta has to be appointed within six months after the post falls vacant. It is noted that from an official strength of 40 employees in the Department of lokayukta, the number has come down to mere two officials — Accounts Officer and Assistant Director — who joined recently, besides peons and security guards. According to the office bearers, many officials have been transferred to different departments.
In the intervening months, complaints have poured in steadily, although no action could be taken owing to a vacancy in the top post, the official said. The officials are maintaining records of all the complaints that are being received and once the new lokayukta assumes office, they will be taken up for hearing. Even the complainants are being informed of the same via written communication, the official added. The Delhi Assembly elections and the subsequent formation of the AAP Government, which did not make a fresh appointment terming the present body to be weak, delayed the appointment.
After meeting with the Union Home Minister, Vijendra Gupta said that non-appointment of lokayukta is a serious threat to the much-touted Kejriwal Government’s anti-corruption campaign. “The post of the lokayukta has been lying vacant since November 2013, whereas the Constitution says the post should not be kept vacant for more than six months. In the absence of the lokayukta, there is no fear among the corrupt officials in the Government offices,” he said.
The present lokayukta is a toothless tiger. It doesn’t have the power to enforce its orders. Previous lokayukta had passed strictures against the erstwhile Congress regime and its Chief Minister and PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan. But nothing has happened.