SHILLONG, APR 18: Amidst protests from the opposition, the Congress led MUA II coalition government manage to push through the Meghalaya Lok Ayukta (Amendment) bill, 2013 after chief minister Mukul Sangma assured them that further amendments will be made to strengthen the Lokayukta institution on Thursday on the last day of the budget session of the Meghalaya assembly.
Prior to the passage of the bill, the opposition consisting NPP and UDP legislators raised objection and protested that the government was pushing through the Meghalaya Lokayukta bill, 2012 with accommodating the proposed amendments which they had brought on the floor of the assembly in the form of debates.
NPP James Sangma said,“ By insisting to pass the bill with a shoddy format the government is bulldozing and indicates that it does not want a strong Lok Ayukta”.
James questioned the government as to why the views of only the governor were taken those of opposition were left out when there were more than six amendments that the government brought into the legislation that was first passed in December, 2012.
UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh also voiced his dissent saying that the opposition proposed amendments were aimed at making the bill better and wondered as to why the government prefer to ignore.
At one point the opposition members even tried to convince Speaker AT Mondal to disallow the chief minister from tabling the bill. However, the opposition mellowed down after chief minister gave assurance to bring about amendments to strengthen the Lokayukta.
The chief minister told the opposition, “ Our readiness to bring about amendments to the bill that has been passed earlier is a reflection of our commitment to strengthen the Lok Ayukta”.
The Meghalaya Lokayukta bill was passed by the state assembly in December 2012 but the state Governor Ranjeet Shekhar Mooshahary sent it back to the government without giving his assent and instead suggested some amendments.- By Our Reporter
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