BENGALURU: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty on Monday said they have decided to web-host and make public the reports submitted to the government recommending action against errant officials if authorities fail to act on them within four months of submission.
Briefing the media about his achievements in his five-year tenure as Lokayukta, Justice Shetty said honest public servants and elected representatives are safe if powers to prosecute the corrupt under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act are with the Lokayukta, an independent body headed by a former High Court judge, than the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which is under the state government led by politicians.
He contended that the Lokayukta can initiate action against ACB if it fails to perform its obligations, as the Lokayukta is still empowered with powers, including its own police wing, to deal with maladministration. “If people file complaints of maladministration against public servants, the Lokayukta can refer them to its police wing for investigation. If allegations are prima facie found true, the Lokayukta can write to the government to entrust the inquiry to it under Section 12(3) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act or refer it to ACB, under Section 15(3) the Act.
If ACB doesn’t act, the Lokayukta can act even against ACB. The jurisdiction of disciplinary action continues to be with the Lokayukta,” he said. Waving his assets and liabilities list when asked to declare it, Justice Shetty said declaring assets and liabilities on his own may set a wrong precedent as there are no provisions under the law to do so. “But in my case, it is open for anybody to check. Before the selection of a Lokayukta, six constitutional functionaries have thoroughly made careful consideration about the integrity of the person,” he added.