BENGALURU: Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi, who is back in action from Monday, has sought the details of the pending cases in the Lokayukta institution.
Justice Adi told Deccan Chronicle, “I have just returned to work. It needs at least week’s time to get details of the pending cases. I have asked the staff to give report on the pending cases. Once I get the report, I will set my priorities on which cases have to be taken up first. Based on the nature and seriousness of the cases, we will decide which has to be given preference.”
Justice Adi had stopped working since March 3, after he received communication from the officer of the Speaker of the Assembly, following an impeachment motion against him.
However, the proceedings against him were dropped by the Speaker after Justice R.B. Budihal gave Justice Adi a clean chit.
The office of the Lokayukta institution, which is baffled by the developments that unfolded in the last several months, had come to a near standstill with no much action, especially after the government snatched the police station power from the police wing to establish Anti Corruption Bureau. But on Tuesday, several people were seen thronging the office to lodge complaints against maladministration in various government establishments.
When DC asked Justice Adi whether the people of the state still had faith in the institution, he said, “We work as per the provisions of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, which empowers us to act tough against maladministration. We are streamlining things now and people still have faith in the institution. I am discussing with Upa Lokayukta II Justice Ananda on the things that has to be streamlined. We will work together and definitely make a change.”
As for the allegations against him and the Justice Budihal report, he said that he is yet to receive reports and would react only after going through it.
Justice Farook to be Ayukta?
The state government, which has not been able to appoint new Lokayukta, is now reportedly contemplating to recommend the name of a former Karnataka High Court judge Justice A.M. Farook.
As the Governor had rejected Justice S.R. Nayak’s recommendation for the post for the second time, the government was reportedly thinking of recommending Justice Farook for the post. However, it has to discuss the same in the consultative committee meeting before sending an official recommendation to the Governor.
