SC notice to Centre, states over appointment of Ombudsman

New Delhi: With a PIL seeking appointment of Lokpal and Lokayuktas following the passage of a law three years ago, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and all the states on the matter.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and P C Pant issued notices to the Centre and all state governments on the PIL which also seeks a direction to the states to provide adequate budgetary allocation and essential infrastructure for effective functioning of Lokayuktas.

The PIL filed by advocate and Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay alleged that though the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, received Presidential assent on January 1, 2014, and came into force from January 16, 2014, the executive has not established the Lokpal yet.

"Section 63 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, envisages that every State shall establish a body to be known as the Lokayukta within a period of one year from the date of commencement of the Act, however, many States have not done so till date. And many States have not passed the Lokayukta Act in consonance with the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013," the plea said.

According to the petitioner, many state governments are "deliberately weakening" the Lokayukta by not providing adequate infrastructure, sufficient budget and workforce.

"Issue a writ or direction directing the Respondent 3 to 33, to establish an independent Lokayukta in spirit of Section 63 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 expeditiously and provide adequate budget, infrastructure and manpower, essential for effective functioning of the Lokayukta," the plea had said.