SHILLONG: The meeting of the selection committee to decide on the chairman and members of Meghalaya Lokayukta will be held on June 4 as pressure is mounting on the state government to make the panel functional at the earliest.
An official source said on Sunday that earlier, a meeting scheduled on May 9 to discuss the matter was deferred.
The June 4 meeting will discuss the existing names and if the panel desires to call for fresh names, a decision will be arrived at.
Sources said though a chairman and four members constitute the Lokayukta, the urgent need is to appoint a chairman and make the anti-graft panel functional.
In several big states, the Lokayukta is functioning only with the chairman, the sources said, adding that at a later stage, if required, members can be appointed.
The Supreme Court had set the deadline to complete the process of making Lokayukta functional by July first week.
The court in its order on April 19 wanted Meghalaya and other states to complete the process at the earliest. Earlier, the appointment of chairperson was made on October 6 last year with the approval of the Meghalaya governor but when the warrant of appointment was made, he refused to accept the post.
However, the state government has decided to effect the appointment of chairperson by June 30.
The Meghalaya Lokayukta Act states that the chairperson of the Lokayukta will be an individual who is or has been a Chief Justice of the High Court or a Judge of the High Court or an eminent person who fulfils the eligibility of having an impeccable integrity and knowledge of the anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance, including insurance and banking, law and management for at least 25 years.
