Dimapur, Sep. 18 (EMN): The anti-graft group the Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (Acaut) has asked the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government to start implementing the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokayukta.
‘...Your government should not wait for the Supreme Court deadline but go ahead and appoint the Lokayukta at the earliest,’ the Acaut stated. The Acaut issued to the media on Tuesday a copy of a letter addressed to the chief minister of Nagaland.
“The all important legislation—the Nagaland Lokayukta Act, 2017 was duly given assent by the honourable governor of Nagaland on December 21, 2017. Following this, on January 31 2018, the Nagaland Gazette issued a notification publishing the Nagaland Lokayukta Act, 2017 for general information,” the letter read. “However, as of today the Lokayukta Act remains only on paper.”
The organisation opined that ‘thus far, the ACAUT had been most consistent and persistent for the passing and implementation of Lokayukta, which will root out the cancerous growth of corruption in our state and bring about some resemblance of progress and development in the state,’ the statement read.
‘...Your party, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party campaigned with the promise to change and reform. In fact, the NDPP promised during the election campaign that it will ‘fight against corruption, centralization of power, and restore Rule of Law in the state’. With the public commitment by both your party and the PDA government towards good governance and transparency, we put forward our request for immediate setting up of Lokayukta body for the state.’
“We understand that during April 2018 the government of Nagaland has filed before the Supreme Court an affidavit explaining that the process is on for the appointment of the Lokayukta in Nagaland. However, no such appointment of the Lokayukta has been made by your government,” the organisation stated.
The organisation added that the apex court had on July 10 granted three more months to the states including Nagaland to appoint their respective Lokayukta, which would have to be by October 10 2018.
