Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jul 16: The Chief Minister announced on Wednesday July 15 in the legislative council, that the government is committed to vest the state Lokayukta with full powers within 24 hours of both arms of the legislature taking a unanimous decision on this aspect.

"We do not believe in shielding corrupt people. There is no question of bending under the pressures of the bureaucrats on the question of empowering the Lokayukta, neither is our government a puppet of the bureaucracy. If both the houses come to an agreement, I am committed to hand over the powers so agreed upon to the Lokayukta," he stated.

The Lokayukta has sought powers to voluntarily take up investigation, supervising of the inquiries and also holding of hearings and punishing the guilty. The government does not dither in the matter. If the members of the legislative council and assembly take a united stand, the government will move ahead in that direction, he stated. "The then state cabinet had on September 18, 2007, taken a decision to empower the Lokayukta with the right to voluntarily hold investigation on all levels of government employees. A notification had also been prepared, but the governor had kept the same on hold as President's rule was clamped on the state in between. We will now consider bringing the notification itself in the form of a bill, after discussing in the cabinet meeting," he explained.

In his long reply to the point raised by JDS leader in the council, M C Nanaiah,  Yeddyurappa reiterated that the government has an open mind on this aspect. He claimed that for the first time, his government had brought ammendments to the Karnataka Cadre Service Rules on August 26 last year, providing for the suspension the officials facing Lokayukta raids.  He said, in 14 cases the Lokayukta had asked for permission to investigate, permission was given in12 cases while two are under consideration. All the 46 transfers recommended by the Lokayukta have been affected, and out of 46 cases recommended, 29 were suspended. Likewise, in the case of the attachment of the assets of the corrupt officials, the government has done the needful in eight of the nine cases recommended, he explained.