Assembly Budget session
SHILLONG: The State Cabinet on Tuesday decided to propose the introduction of the Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill 2014 in the coming Assembly session, replacing the existing Meghalaya Lokayukta Act 2013.
Speaking to media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said the government proposed to introduce Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill 2014 with minor changes to suit the local condition of the state.
According to Dr Sangma, the State Government decided to introduce the new Bill since it was decided that all the Congress-ruled states must enact Lokayuka acts in tune with the Lokayukta Act passed by Parliament.
The Government has also brought major amendments in the new Bill that the Government proposed to pass in the coming Assembly session.
The Chief Minister stated that any person who was eligible to be appointed as the judge of the High Court was eligible to be appointed as the member of the Loayukta. Besides, a retired Union Government secretary or a state Chief Secretary was also eligible to be the chairman.
In addition, the State Government also intended to put organzations or societies receiving foreign contribution under the purview of the Bill.
The Meghalaya Government in 2012 came up with the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act but former Governor RS Mooshahary had rejected the Bill of 2012 after finding several loopholes. Later the State Government incorporated in the act of 2013 several suggestions put forward by the former Governor RS Mooshahary.
Finally, incumbent Governor Dr K K Paul gave his nod to Meghalaya Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2013.
Earlier, several anti-graft groups and activists had argued in favour of a stronger Lokayukta Act to bring it in line with the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, passed by Parliament since they found the existing Act ineffective to deal with corruption in the state.
