Goa Governor BV Wanchoo referred the controversial Goa lokayakta Amendment Bill back to the State Government seeking reconsideration of certain controversial clauses.
The Government has been asked to reconsider two clauses. The first which imposes heavy penalties on those who file ‘false and frivolous’ complaints, while the second mandated that if the competent authority did not act against bureaucrats and officials as recommended by the lokayukta, the lokayukta’s recommendation would be deemed to be rejected.
Raj Bhavan sources said that the file had been sent to the Goa Government Thursday and requested the Goa Government to reconsider Section 19 (1), which recommends the heavy fine and section 16 (a) (v), which accounts for the deemed rejection clause.
Both clauses, which had been criticised by anti-corruption crusader Arvind Kejriwal, with he calling them stupid, had been included in amendments made during the Winter Session of the State legislative Assembly in February.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in his reaction to the decision said that further changes would be made to the bill and brought in the ongoing session of the Assembly.
Civil society activists in Goa as well as leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal had called the controversial amendments made by the Manohar Parrikar-led Government as “stupid and “in favour of the corrupt”.
A delegation had even called on the Governor asking him not to grant his assent to the controversial Bill.
The amendments were passed amid a walkout by the Opposition in the Winter Session of the State Assembly.