Lok ayukta backs fasting Anna Hazare

One of the architects of Jan Lokpal Bill, Lok ayukta justice Santosh N Hegde extended his support to Gandhian Anna Hazare whose fast-unto-death seeking implementation of the bill entered the second day on Wednesday.

Justice Hegde said there may be reservation in some quarters that Hazare’s fast against corruption and the government move to dilute the bill it had proposed to table in Parliament was premature.

“But I find that once it is placed in Parliament, there are chances the bill may lose its sheen and may get passed without much discussion. But we need to discuss the issues involved in the anti-corruption body threadbare so that it fully serves the purpose it is meant for,” he said.

“The original idea behind the Jan Lokpal Bill was to have the independent body which would investigate cases of corruption within a year and ensure speedy trial within the next year. What we need is a comprehensive legislation which would constitute an independent body like the Election Commission or Supreme Court. It should also have jurisdiction to investigate the role of officials and prosecute them for their corrupt practices,” he said.

He said there are doubts about the Centre’s intention to implement an independent anti-corruption body as the move to prosecute public servants, both elected members and officials, needs the speaker’s or chairman’s sanction.

“This will defeat the basic purpose of the anti-corruption body as most of the cases will not get sanction to investigate or prosecute,” he said.

The purpose of Jan Lokpal Bill is to have independent authority to investigate and prosecute without prior sanction from any authority. “The clause which says the government will forward the cases to a competent authority itself is out of place when corruption cases are referred to the independent body,” he said.

Merely bringing in legislators or members of parliament will not serve any purpose as the most of the files linked to those suspected to have involved in corrupt practices are signed by officials of each department.

“There had been instances of politicians washing off their hands claiming they were not involved in any kind of scandal or corrupt practices as their footprints were not found on the files,” he said.

Avoiding the officials within its jurisdiction itself renders the Lokpal institution toothless.

The notion that representatives are answerable only to the elected body they belong to is wrong. They are answerable to the public and the law of the land, he said.
Hedge hailed Hazare’s commitment not to involve any politician in his fight against corruption. If politicians are involved, they may hijack the movement.

“Where were the politicians when discussions on the anti-corruption body were taking place in the public domain? It is good that politicians are asked to stay away from Hazare’s struggle for a clean society,” he said.

“The institution of Lokpal is a body of 11 independent personalities. This is because there will not be any interference from any quarters especially from the ruling party or any other member of the legislature,” he added.