Amendments recommended to bring MLAs under MP Lokayukta Act

In a bid to give more teeth to anti- corruption watchdog Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Justice (retd) P P Naolekar said here today that he has recommended amendments to the MP Lokayukta Act to bring MLAs and institutions including NGOs which get government funds, under its ambit.
"Right now we can launch an investigation against the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and other ministers based on complaints against them, but can't probe against MLAs or other institutions including NGOs which get government funding," Justice Naolekar told PTI.
In an attempt to dispel the impression that the Lokayukta (ombudsman) was soft on ministers as well as the high and mighty, he said if complaints against them were supported with evidence, they would be investigated.

The Lokayukta (ombudsman), who is a retired Supreme Court Judge, said if people were willing to bear witness to corruption complaints against ministers, his establishment would not think twice to proceed against them as per the law.
"We are very fair in dealing and all people against whom complaints trickle in are treated equally," he said.
His statement assumes significance since it comes weeks after the Lokayukta establishment told Madhya Pradesh High Court that it has closed investigation against eight ministers out of 11, in reply to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist P G Najpande that the anti-corruption watch dog was slow in dealing with complaints against the high and mighty.

The Lokayukta's office had told the MP High Court that it has closed investigations against 32 IAS officers out of 48 bureaucrats. Similarly, it had also told that it had closed investigation against seven IPS officers while probe against three were on, Najpande told PTI.