SHILLONG: Though the State Government has decided to re-introduce Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill 2014 in the upcoming Assembly session, the Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM) has asked the State Government to put the bill in public domain for discussions.
Addressing a press conference here in the city on Thursday, MRTIM leader Michael Syiem termed it as a sad moment that the Bill was not put in the public domain.
Questioning the intention of the Government, Syiem said that the Government is more inclined to obey the high command rather than obeying the people of the State.
According to MRTIM, the proposed Lokayukta Act must have its own investigating and prosecution wing besides a fast track court should also be setup to try the cases of corruption.
Another MRTIM leader Angela Rangad asserted that the State Government is making mockery of the Act and there are several sections like section 11, 22, 30 in the 2013 act that must be excluded from the proposed act even as she said that the members of the civil societies can be a member of the Lokayukta act.
It may be mentioned that any person who was eligible to be appointed as the judge of the High Court is eligible to be appointed as the member of the Lokayukta. Besides, a retired Union Government secretary or a state Chief Secretary is also eligible to be the chairman as per the new Bill that would be tabled in the upcoming Assembly session.
MRTIM leader and CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said, “We will burn the Bill if its passed,” adding if Government cant come up with an independent Lokayukta than they don’t want a Lokayukta.
If the State Government succeeds in passing the Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill 2014 in the coming Assembly session, it would replace replacing the existing Meghalaya Lokayukta Act 2013.