Mumbai: An RTI reply has revealed that citizens have filed a whopping 13,477 complaints in just two and a half years (from January 2015 to May 2017) with Maharashtra Lokayukta.
However, out of 13,477 complaints filed before it, the Lokayukta could refer only 158 complaints to the state government for action, which is a mere one per cent of the total number of the complaints. But the state government has not even acted on these complaints.
As per the information sought under RTI, the Lokayukta received 5,200 complaints in 2016, 5,850 complaints in 2016 and 2,427 complaints till May 31 this year.
The Lokayukta has not kept any record of the hearings it conducted on these complaints.
Further, 642 specials report were sent to the governor under sec 12(5) of the Lokayukta Act. These reports express dissatisfaction on the action taken by the government after Lokayukta’s orders, the RTI information revealed.
Reacting on the issue, RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge said, “The action was not taken in the cases by the government because the Lokayukta’s orders are not binding on it. Surprisingly, the Lokayukta is also not informed by the governor or the government about the action taken on special reports.”
Lokayukta refused to reveal information about the total number of officials who have to face disciplinary action after its orders. The Lokayukta said that it did not keep the record of it separately. “The information indicates a possibility that no officials have ever been suspended or dismissed on the orders of Lokayukta. This information proves that the Lokayukta is unable to give any kind of redressal to citizens grievance,” Mr Ghadge said.
The New Lokayukta Act of 2013 came into existence after social activist Anna Hazare held a protest in Delhi in 2011-12. However, many states are yet to appoint Lokayukta. Also, the Centre has not passed the Jan Lokpal Bill. “Like the previous Congress government, the BJP government at the Centre also does not want an independent, powerful body to address the corruption issue,” Mr Ghadge said.
