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Maharashtra Lokayukta: Corrupt IAS officers in Maharashtra will no longer be able to escape. Fadnavis government has tightened the noose on them. IAS officers of the state have also come under the purview of Lokayukta.
Maharashtra Lokayukta: Corrupt IAS officers in Maharashtra will no longer be able to escape. Fadnavis government has tightened the noose on them. IAS officers of the state have also come under the purview of Lokayukta. Maharashtra Assembly has approved amendments to the Lokayukta Act. Under this, for the first time, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and many state appointed officers will come under the purview of the anti-corruption body. The amendment bill passed on Thursday evening has expanded the scope of the Maharashtra Lokayukta Act, 2023. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who introduced the amendment bill, said the amended provisions were necessary to ensure a clean image of the officers under the supervision of the Lokayukta. He said that the amendment has made it clear that the IAS officers appointed by the state in the authorities constituted under the Central Acts will also come under the Lokayukta. This will remove the existing ambiguity.
Bill passed without any debate
It has been made clear in the amendments that officers appointed by the State Government in various boards, authorities and committees established under Parliamentary Acts will now also come under its purview. Earlier there was ambiguity whether such authorities came under the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta or the Lokpal constituted under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. According to the amendments, it aims to include only the authorities appointed by the State under Central Acts, while excluding those authorities appointed only by the Central Government which fall under the jurisdiction of the Lokpal. The purpose of these changes is to remove suspicions of jurisdictional overreach between the two bodies. The Bill also updates the references to repealed Central Acts, replacing the Indian Penal Code with the Indian Judicial Code and similar updated laws. The amendments were passed without any debate.
Bill prepared on suggestions received from President’s Office
Fadnavis said the bill has been prepared based on suggestions received from the President’s Office and there is no need to send the amended law back for further approval. The Bill has now clearly brought IAS officers under the ambit of Lokayukta. However, for any investigation, along with the approval of the Chief Minister, the views of the Chief Secretary will also be necessary. According to the original Act passed during the previous government, a two-thirds majority in the Assembly is required to allow investigation against the current or former chief minister. For investigation against ministers and MLAs, similar approval from the Governor, Group of Ministers or Assembly Speaker is mandatory. Even to investigate municipal councilors or sarpanches, the Lokayukta will have to take the consent of the concerned minister.
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