TUR demands Lokayukta

SHILLONG, APR 13: Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) expressed its outrage over the state government’s failure in instituting the office of Lokayukta in Meghalaya.

“It was after a long struggle and interventions from people’s movements that a workable Lokayukta Act was finally amended and passed,” TUR leader Angela Rngad said in a statement issued on Monday. She, however, said the act remains merely a paper legislation proving that the government is not sincere in tackling corruption in Meghalaya.

“The government and its pliant bureaucracy have always dragged its feet in properly implementing the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act,” Rngad said. According to her, first, the government delayed with framing the rules for the Act, and then contrary to the Act constituted a Search Committee in ‘secret’.

Rngad said the search committee must also have civil society members and conduct its search in a transparent manner..

TUR demanded that the government immediately makes public the names of members of the search committee which is to shortlist the names of members of the Lokayukta.  Rngad said the TUR demands that the entire process should be more transparent and participatory and the setting up of the Lokayukta be expedited.- By Our Reporter