Shillong, Feb 5: Meghalaya Government on Monday said that it was sticking to the fundamentals of the Lokayukta Act and would not deviate from it.
“According to the act we cannot engage the service of the retired officers that is fundamental of the Lokayukta because the strength and influence of the retired are lesser than those officers in service. We cannot deviate from the Act,” said Cabinet Minister and Government spokesperson, Paul Lyngdoh.
On VPP protest demanding the reinstatement of the sacked Lokayukta officials, he said, “To play politics with it and mislead the public opinion, I feel ,is not ethical and an attempt to deflect the attention of the public from other pertinent issues”.
He recalled that the members of the VPP have already had a discussion with Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and a meeting with Chief Minister Conrad k Sangma would soon take place.
Reminding that the State Assembly session is coming up, he said the issues could be raised and debated in the House also but asserted that the government cannot speak anything beyond what the Act stipulates.