Goa is without the much needed and so vital Lokayukta for almost six long months. The government must with all sincerity act promptly to fill this unacceptable vacuum.
The Lokayukta at the State level investigates cases of corruption and ensures transparency in the administrative machinery that has to be citizen friendly. Public grievances must be taken cognizance of promptly, skillfully and expeditiously through a simple informal mechanism devoid of technicalities. The Institution of Lokayukta is a step forward in ensuring an Open Government where there is due respect for the rule of law while propagating the prevention of corruption, inefficiency and mal-administration in governance. But to achieve these desired results, it is paramount that the autonomy and the total independence of the Lokayukta must be ensured with no interference whatsoever by the government of the day. In 2013 Karnataka’s former formidable Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde had suggested that some provisions be incorporated to strengthen our Lokayukta Act but all those views were consigned to the racks. More recently our now retired Lokayukta Justice P.K Misra had taken the pains to also propose some much required amendments which also met the same fate. An already weak Goa Lokayukta Act with so many deficiencies has now through those controversial amendments which were bulldozed by the Government in January this year rendered the Lokayukta totally redundant and powerless. So it is no surprise that nobody wants to accept this farcical and toothless position. So this current imbroglio must be sincerely resolved by the Government by swiftly bringing the much needed amendments to arm and empower the Lokayukta with the required powers and teeth to tackle corruption and bad governance in the State. In this direction the assistance of a legal luminary possibly of our retired Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdin Rebello could be sought to draft the required changes to the current Goa Lokayukta Act which once finalized could be brought into force quickly by way of an ordinance so that in public interest the functioning of the Lokayukta is restored. But if the government lacks the intent and will to have a sturdy and empowered Lokayukta, the only prudent option is to wind up the now sham Institution of the Goa Lokayukta and save the exchequer a whopping 1.8 crores which is the annual expenditure incurred in running that body which in its present form will serve no meaningful purpose whatsoever but only act as a white elephant being an unnecessary financial liability to the already overburdened taxpayers. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com