Kohima Bureau
Kohima, March 23 (EMN): Governor PB Acharya gave assent to the Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2017 during the first session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Friday.
It is now left to the government of the day as and when to make the Lokayukta Bill functional. Along with the Nagaland Lokayukta Bill, the governor also gave assent to the Nagaland Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1978 (First Amendment) Bill, 2017.
It was three years ago on July 21, 2015 when the then chief minister TR Zeliang tabled the Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2015 in the 12th house of NLA, following which the NLA passed the Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2015 with amendments on December 15, 2017.
The Lokayukta is an ombudsman body to check corruption allegations against administrators and legislators. The Lokayukta Act comes under Section 63 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 2013 (Act No.1) of 2014 which makes provision for establishment of Lokayukta for the states to inquire into allegation of corruption against certain public functionaries and in exercise of the provision of section 63 of the Act of 2013 makes provision for passing of the Nagaland Lokayukta Act 2015.
It may be mentioned that Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2015 was passed with amendment due to relentless pressure from Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation and Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland who went on to form the Public Coordination Committee.
