The appointment of Justice Sandeep Shinde as the new Lokayukta of Goa marks a milestone in the State’s efforts to strengthen its anti-corruption machinery and restore public faith in governance. It brings new hope, especially since there was a vacuum at this crucial position for more than a year.
With a seasoned jurist at the helm of this ombudsman institution, Justice Shinde is expected to play a pivotal role in addressing the endemic issues of corruption and administrative accountability, the two key issues that have been constantly surfacing in public discourse. We say Justice Shinde presents a ray of hope of fairness, transparency and justice, given his distinguished career and landmark judgements in the past.
Justice Shinde is a retired judge of the Bombay High Court’s Goa Bench and holds an undisputed reputation for his bold and decisive judgments, most notably his October 2022 order directing the erstwhile mining leaseholders to vacate their leases within a month. This ruling, subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court, paved the way for a transparent e-auction process for mineral blocks. Earlier, Justice Shinde had served as Chief Public Prosecutor for Mumbai in 2015, showcasing his formidable legal expertise and experience in criminal law and prosecution.
The absence of an anti-corruption watchdog does not speak well of a system that has been marred by corruption. Ironically, the recent Birch fire has let out the skeletons in the cupboard, with fingers being pointed towards top government officials, and even the magisterial inquiry report pointing to a collusion of several departments. In such a scenario, keeping the post vacant since December 2024 speaks poorly of the government’s urgency in tackling corruption within the system. The recent circulars of not allowing government employees to carry out celebrations in places of work or engage in secondary or part-time jobs are welcome, but corruption in government offices have been let off. Graft was left virtually unchallenged.
Given the credentials of Justice Shinde, there is a huge wave of expectation from civil society. But having an upright Lokayukta is not entirely enough. The government too plays a crucial role in executing the decision of the Ombudsman. For example, Justice Prafulla Kumar Misra, who was sworn in as the Goa Lokayukta on April 28, 2016 and served his full term till September 2020, had then slammed the state government for failing to act on his 21 reports recommending disciplinary action or criminal probes. Such a response defeats the very purpose of installing a Lokayukta.
The people of Goa look forward to Justice Shinde, despite the fact that nothing substantial has been achieved through this channel in the past. It remains to be seen if Justice Shinde will foster a culture of accountability leading to ethical public service. It is to be seen whether, in a dominating political scenario, Justice Shinde will act as a moral compass and guard the rights of citizens, and whether he will cut past all vested interests. Let us not forget, at least on paper, Lokayukta is a key component and referee overseeing the good governance of the State.
The current dispensation is in its last lap of tenure; nonetheless, by appointing a Lokayukta, it has extended a positive sign that it is serious about tackling corruption. Time will tell whether this was a genuine effort to cleanse the system or a decision to make a statement and momentarily placate voices in the Opposition.
