HP House gives more teeth to Lokayukta, passes Bill

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 12

The Himachal Assembly today passed the Himachal Pradesh Lokayukta Bill, 2014, after incorporating amendments suggested by the Leader of Opposition, Prem Kumar Dhumal.

The Bill would empower the common man to file complaints with the Lokayukta and seek probe into corruption allegations against the Chief Minister, ministers and all public servants, including bureaucrats.

The Bill was introduced after repealing the HP Lokayukta Act, 1983, and as per the Lokayukta Act adopted by Parliament in 2013. The Lokayukta will now have the power initiate contempt proceeding against any person who fails to comply with its orders. HP was among the first states to set up the office of Lokayukta in 1983, but it was not effective as bureaucrats and politicians were not bound to comply with its orders. With the introduction of the new Bill, officials will now be bound to provide timely information, failing which they will have to face contempt proceedings.

The Bill proposes to create a mechanism to receive corruption complaints against the CM, ministers and bureaucrats. The Bill also proposes a one-member Lokayukta having a five-year-term.