MP govt extends Lokayukta term, Cong cries foul

In a letter to Governor Ramnaresh Yadav, Leader of Opposition Satyadev Katare said he was not consulted even though the process requires the Chief Minister and the LOp to consult the Chief Justice of the High Court. “Since I was not consulted I request you to place my opposition on record,’’ the letter said requesting the Governor to intervene.

“The matter of appointment of Lokayukta is not of calamity management and the government had nearly 10 months to call applications and appoint ‘a more competent person’,’’ Katare said in the letter to the Governor.

The Lokayukta’s term in MP was extended from five to six years in the past. “If the Chief Minister is talking of extending the term by one more year for his personal gains, the Lokayukta will get the opportunity to work till he turns 72. The seven-year-term has no parallel in the country,’’ Katare said.

BJP MLA and spokesman Vishwas Sarang said the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has won a decisive mandate and has a constitutional right to extend the Lokayukta’s term. “The Cabinet decision proves honesty and transparency on part of the CM,’’ he said accusing the Congress of lowering the dignity of constitutional bodies.

The Opposition also pointed to the ‘dumper case’ in which Chouhan and his wife Sadhna Singh were accused of seeking favours from an industrial group in lieu of allotment of a mining lease. The Lokayukta had given a clean chit to the Chouhans and the lower court and the High Court had agreed with the finding.

The Congress said Chouhan had sanctioned one of country’s top most lawyers Uday Lalit to defend him in the dumper case in the HC. The Lokayukta’s office had sought sanction from the legal department which in turn sought approval from the General Administration Department, a portfolio held by Chouhan.

Chouhan had sanctioned engaging Lalit at a fee of Rs 11 lakh per appearance, which the Congress said was not only illegal but also unethical.