Lokayuktas Powers Should be Genuine, Not Supre

GULBARGA: I don’t ask the government to give me supreme power and directorship to Lokayukta, but I would certainly ask it to give this institution genuine and suitable powers, said Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shivaraj Patil here on Monday. Speaking to the media here on Monday, he said that in a democratic setup, it is not right for any institution to ask for supreme power. But the government should give suitable and genuine powers to the Lokayukta to save its image in the eyes of the public as this institution is a Constitutional authority, he averred. However, Justice Patil said that compared to other states, the Lokayukta Act in Karnataka is far better.   He said that though it is mandatory on the part of MLAs to provide details of their assets and liabilities yearly to the Lokayukta, six MLAs had failed to do so. “When we published their names in the newspapers, five MLAs provided the details of their assets and liabilities. But Indi MLA Sarvabhouma Bagali has not yet submitted the details. The Act is silent on the type of action to be taken against such MLAs,” he said.