Shillong,January,09: MRTIM The Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM) today has come out to campaign for a strong and completely independent Lokayukta in the State of MegyhalayaAddressing a press conference at the Shillong Press Club here this evening,
MRTIM Chairman Michael Syiem said that in the present political scenario‘we should take the initiative to pressurize the government’ to bring in strong Lokayukta.
According to Syiem, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has been directed to bring further amendment to the Lokayukta Bill and even though he has promised to do so, no debate on the issue was allowed.
“It was just pushed through, therefore the Bill is very weak,” Syiemn said, adding, “Hence, we feel it is high time that we put pressure on the government to bring in a strong Lokayukta because it is only through a strong mechanism like the Lokpal Bill that action can be taken on the findings of RTI.”
While elaborating on the amendments that are required in order to have a very independent Lokayukta, MRTIM member Angela Ryngad said that in Meghalaya there were no deliberations and the amendments were not allowed to be moved, disregarding all norms of democracy.
“We want to stress on the need for the Lokayukta Act to be very, very independent firstly by having a search committee before the selection committee so that representation from civil society with experience in corruption cases and unraveling them in the composition,” Rangad said.
Rangad said that the Lokayukta should cover all the way right from the chief minister down to the 4th grade employees, as well as the traditional institutions and that procedure of removal should not be so easy as the way it is now.
“The term of office of Lokayukta should not be extendable,” Rangad said explaining that five years should give ample time to follow through on certain cases which are taken up and that it should have suo moto power to investigate.(Sp News)
