PANAJI
The Goa Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed by a 23 versus seven margin the government sponsored Goa Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The controversial amendments to the law governing the institution of anti-corruption Ombudsman had raised a storm with Opposition parties and civil society members accusing the government of diluting and reducing it to a mere paper tiger.
Among nine changes sought to be brought in, the most controversial is the one that waters down the suo-motu power of the Lokayukta to conduct investigations into complaints against ‘public functionaries’ on allegations of nepotism, maladministration or improper and ‘corrupt motives’.
The Lokayukta, once the amendments become law, will have to seek prior sanction of the government to initiate such investigations.
Interestingly, these changes in the law have been brought in by the government months after outgoing Lokayukta Justice (Retd) P K Mishra penned scathing reports indicting several holding political office as well as bureaucrats, before demiting office.
The tenure of Mishra, who was Chief Justice of Odisha High Court, had ended in mid-September last year and the position is vacant since then.
Another change in the law permits appointment as Lokayukta retired High Court judges also.
Earlier only judges who retire from the Supreme Court and former High Court Chief Justices were eligible.
Goa Municipalities Amendment Bill passed
Meanwhile, the House also passed the Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2021, but the government dropped contentious provisions that dealt with merchants operating as lessees of municipal body’s properties and the one tweaking house/property tax computation as per market values.
