The State government is yet again dragging its feet over granting Prosecution Sanction Orders (PSO) against public servants prima facie found to have indulged in corruption.
“Presently, 88 cases seeking sanction for prosecution by the Lokayukta are lying pending with the State government. Of this, 25 cases are pending with the government for over a year,” said Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao here on Tuesday.
This despite a Supreme Court directive that PSOs should be granted within three months after it is sought. In 2011, the then Chief Secretary, S.V. Ranganath, had issued a circular to all department heads to grant PSO within the stipulated three months. Mr. Rao, however, said that when he took charge as Lokayukta in February 2013, there were 180 cases pending PSO and the government was positively working towards catching up.
He said the Lokayukta was plagued by over 30 per cent vacancy and despite repeated letters to the government, it had neither deputed personnel nor sorted the issue. He said paucity of human resources was crippling the functioning of the organisation.
On the positive side, he said during the last two years, he had toured 30 districts and received 1,565 complaints — of which he disposed of 1,289 cases on the spot. Presently, only 930 cases are pending in the Lokayukta, he said.
