Allahabad high court Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud has criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for putting the name of Justice (retd) Virendra Singh in the list sent to Supreme Court for appointment of Lokayukta, and also for "failing" to inform the apex court that a panel had "nearly reached" an understanding on a name.
The government may drop the clause on setting up of a Lokayukta in states in the Lokpal Bill to bring some opposition parties as also allies like Trinamool Congress on board.
Former Bahujan Samaj Party minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, indicted in the memorial scam, on Tuesday questioned the legal status of the Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asserted law would take its own course in the matter.
Congress and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been attacking him for alleged corruption, to approach the Lokayukta, with the veteran leader asserting that he was ready to face the "consequences".
Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ordered issue of notice to Lokayukta in connection with the anticipatory bail plea filed by JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy on a private complaint alleging illegalities in denotification of government land in 2007 when he was the chief minister.
The stalemate over the appointment continues as UP CM Akhilesh Yadav recommends same name to Ram Naik for the fourth time in 20 days.
A landmark bill for creation of Lokpal was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday night with the government making it clear that setting up of Lokayuktas by the states would not be mandatory, amending a contentious provision in view of opposition from allies and others.
Activist Aruna Roy on Thursday night questioned political parties for raising objections to the provision of setting up of Lokayuktas in the Lokpal Bill, saying they did not oppose such a move earlier.
The appointment of former judge of Allahabad High Court Justice Virendra Singh as Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta was on Saturday put on hold after the Supreme Court held a special sitting on a holiday and posed embarrassing questions to the Samajwadi Party government, which was accused of concealing facts and "playing fraud".
As per the details put up on the Lokayukta website, the retired Supreme Court judge has immovable assets worth Rs 62,47,556 and his wife Rs 66,34,880.
The Lokpal bill is expected to be brought in the Rajya Sabha on Monday with some key amendments including removal of the provisions for setting up of Lokayuktas in states.
According to Lokayukta sources, Prashanth, the chief accounts officer of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, was caught red-handed on Thursday evening while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh from a contractor at the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited (KSDL) office.
In a bid to evolve a consensus over the controversial Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday met leaders of various political parties with an assertion that his government was committed to an effective Lokpal legislation. In his initial remarks at the meeting, Dr Singh said, "Our government stands committed to an effective Lokpal legislation". Union ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, A K Antony and Salman Khurshid were among those present at the meeting.
Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Thursday questioned Narendra Modi as a prime ministerial candidate in the next general elections saying the Gujarat chief minister was not sincere about rooting out corruption as he has not taken steps for setting up a Lokayukta, a post lying vacant since 2003 in the state.
Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Monday following uproar by Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party members on incidents of firing on lawyers by state revenue officials in Uttar Pradesh and the appointment of Lokayukta in Gujarat.
Gujarat Lokayukta Justice R A Mehta's resignation letter is a stinging indictment of the Narendra Modi government's obstructionist attitude towards a constitutional watchdog.
Pulling up the Bharatiya Janata Party government for "inordinate delay" in appointing the lokayukta, Karnataka high court on Monday warned it would write to the governor that there is a Constitutional crisis if it failed to respond positively.
The issues of recall of Gujarat governor and dismissal of Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh created turmoil in Parliament on Tuesday leading to adjournment of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha till noon.
Charging them under the Prevention of Corruption Act and several IPC provisions, including criminal conspiracy and cheating.
Following allegations that his office tried to bribe some journalists by sending Rs 1 lakh cash gifts to them on Deepavali, along with sweet boxes, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday denying his role, called it a 'lie' and part of the 'Congress' toolkit'.
The meeting of the Congress Core Group was held at a time when government is scrambling for numbers to pass the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha with Trinamool Congress insisting that it will move amendments to delete the provision for setting up Lokayuktas at the state level.
More than Rs 8 crore unaccounted cash has been seized in subsequent raids at various locations by Lokayukta. The arrested officer's father is Madal Virupakshappa, the MLA representing Channagiri constituency in Davangere district of the state.
In a report tabled in Parliament recently, it said several complaints are being disposed of by the Lokpal on the ground that they are not in the prescribed format and asked it not to reject genuine complaints.
The case was registered against the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader by Lokayukta police in 2015 based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Hazare also said it seems the new policy will encourage liquor sale and consumption and spur corruption.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati's close aide Naseemuddin Siddiqui and former minister Babu Singh Kushwaha were among the 19 people booked on Wednesday for their alleged role in the Rs 1,400 crore scam in the construction of Dalit memorials and parks in Uttar Pradesh.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's followers spoke up for him before the Bharatiya Janata Party's high command on Friday morning. Now, they have decided to take on the report on illegal mining by Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde that indicts the CM and his family.
The report on illegal mining by Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has stepped up the heat on big wigs in the state including Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
An official said Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty, a judicial member of Lokpal, has been given additional charge of the post of chairperson.
Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta indicted 199 government officials, including two ministers, in the Rs 1,410 cr memorial scam. However, the omission of then chief minister Mayawati from the list has raised eyebrows. Sharat Pradhan reports
The Delhi Cabinet on Friday decided to call a special session of Assembly to take up the Jan Lokpal Bill, which seeks life term as maximum punishment for corrupt babus, on February 16 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium instead of historic Ramlila ground as announced earlier.
Apart from the appointment of Lokpal at the national level and Lokayukta in states, Hazare has been demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and some electoral reforms.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has called a meeting of chief ministers of party-ruled states to chalk out the party's strategy in the run-up to the general election. The leaders would focus on setting up of Lokayuktas in a time-bound manner in states and curbing food inflation.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday ordered a vigilance probe against former Bahujan Samaj Party minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui and his wife in connection with a disproportionate assets case after Lokayukta recommendations.
The much-debated Lokpal Bill, which seeks to create an anti-corruption watchdog, is likely to come up for discussion and passage in the Rajya Sabha next week.
The CVC has been allocated Rs 39 crore for 2020-21, up from the revised Rs 36.65 crore for the ongoing fiscal.
The quarrel between Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Managing Director Roopa, an Indian Police Service officer, and Indian Administrative Service officer Sindhuri, the Muzrai Department Commissioner, reached the office of the Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, with both submitting petitions seeking action against each other.
Hazare has been on a hunger strike since Wednesday demanding appointment of anti-corruption watchdogs at the Centre and in Maharashtra.
A total of Rs 101.29 crore has been allocated to Lokpal for 2019-20, according to the budget presented on Friday by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The launch of a new party by former Karnataka minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy has spiced up the poll scene in parts of state.
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