AIZAWL, June 3: Corruption
watchdog-turned-political party
PRISM (People’s Representatives
for Identity and Status of Mizoram)
has taken a strong exception to Mizoram
Government’s decision to
form a fresh search committee for
Lokayukta to overrule a search committee
it had already formed in 2016.
PRISM president Vanlalruata said
in a press conference on Friday that
the government had constituted a
search committee on November 3,
2016 to propose chairman and members
of Lokayukta.
The search committee had recommended
retired law official P Singthanga
as chairperson, law secretary as member secretary, and seven other
members including PRISM president
Vanlalruata himself.
“The search committee sat four
times, once in 2016 and thrice in
2017.
The committee made recommendations
to be approved by the
Selection Committee. One and a half
year after the recommendations, the
government has not made any appointment.
Instead, it has decided to
form a fresh search committee,
which is a clear violation of the
rules,” Vanlalruata said.
PRISM president accused the
Congress Government of failing to
fulfill its electoral promise to set up
Lokayukta and dilly-dallying on it.
“Before the 2008 elections, the
Congress party promised the people
to set up a Vigilance Commission.
It failed to do so during its first
term.
Before the 2013 elections, it
again promised to form Lokayukta.
The second term is now almost over,
the Congress party’s promise has
fallen flat,” Vanlalruata said.
He accused the Congress Government
of being afraid to set up Lokayukta
or any other anti-corruption
mechanism because its Ministers and
MLAs are not free from corruption.
“The decision to form yet another
search committee, besides being a
breach of rules, is a delaying tactic played
by the Congress Government,” he said.
Vanlalruata said that if his party
comes to power, it would form Lokayukta
within six months. In April last,
Mizoram Government said the State
Lokayukta Drafting Committee completed
the draft Lokayukta Bill, 2014
and uploaded the Bill in the State Law
department’s website.
Law officials said that anyone who
has suggestions for changes, deletion
and addition could submit to the
Law Secretary within a month.
Meanwhile, State Law Minister
Lalsawta said that formation of the
State Ombudsman could take time
as the State Government was waiting
for the recommendations of the
14th Finance Commission for expenses
for creation of the Lokayukta.
“We are fully dependent on the
fund to be allocated by the 14th Finance
Commission for creation of
the State’s anti corruption body”,
Lalsawta said
-Correspondent, Assam Tribune
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