Chennai: Contending that the DMK is not opposed to the Lokayukta bill brought by the Tamil Nadu government a day ahead of the Supreme Court deadline (of July 10) to establish the state-level anti-corruption ombudsman, DMK working president M. K. Stalin has said Lokayukta should be empowered in real sense.
In order to ensure that it is made powerful, the government has to refer the bill to the Assembly select committee for appropriate amendments, he said.
“The bill in the present form is weak, toothless and appears to be an attakathi (cardboard knife). It needs to be empowered in real sense,” Mr Stalin said. In a letter addressed to his party members on Wednesday he said citing section 12 (1) of the bill, that it does not clearly mention that the ombudsman is vested with the powers to enquire even the chief minister, as in other states.
“In addition to the CM, Speaker and Opposition leader, the committee should have a high court judge and also an eminent person to select the chairman of the Lokayukta. Further, instead of an official of deputy secretary cadre, it should have an officer of secretary cadre to be posted as director of enquiry. I had stressed all these points in the Assembly and expected a favourable response from the government,” Mr Stalin said explaining why his DMK staged a walk out from the Assembly on July 9 when the bill was introduced by personnel and administrative reforms & fisheries minister D. Jayakumar.
“If our demands are not met, then a situation will arise wherein we will ensure amendments (to the bill) with the support of the people. Then this Lokayukta will have power even to enquire the present-day rulers,” Mr Stalin said.
