Dharwad-based Samaj Parivarthan Samudaya (SPS) has welcomed Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s statement that the State government will follow the High Court’s orders on scrapping Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and transferring all corruption-related cases to the Lokayukta.
The Chief Minister has said that the State government will abide by the High Court judgment and scrap the ACB after following due procedure. “We welcome the statement,” SPS founder S.R. Hiremath said in Dharwad on Sunday.
SPS was among the many petitioners who had approached the High Court against the State government’s decision to set up the ACB. They had said that the State government had created a parallel anti-corruption body by diluting the powers of the Lokayukta.
“It is a historic order. It has restored the powers of the Lokayukta to look into corruption and maladministration. Mr. Bommai should implement this historic order and restore the Lokayukta’s powers in letter and spirit,’’ Mr. Hiremath said.
Constitutional authorities should take all measures to strengthen the Lokayukta and restore its glory.
“The ACB was not only ill conceived, but also retrograde. The Siddaramaiah government made the mistake of establishing the ACB in 2016. It was only to protect the corrupt politicians, including the Chief Minister, Ministers, senior officials and others. It took away the powers of investigation of the Lokayukta. It was unprecedented and an illegal assault on the powers of the Lokayukta,’’ Mr. Hiremath said.
The High Court judgment has made it clear that the State government was not justified in constituting the ACB by means of executive orders, he said.
Mr. Hiremath said that the Janandolan Maha Maitri (JMM), a State-wide forum of various pro-democracy associations will launch a movement to demand more powers for the Lokayukta.
“It will also organise a protest against the new farm laws and revenue amendments in the State. These laws are “pro-corporate” and “anti-farmer”. “We want the government to repeal them. To bring pressure on the government, we will organise a protest,’’ he said.
“We have formed a satyagraha committee which will hold a meeting in Bengaluru on August 20 to prepare an effective action plan to bring pressure on the State government. We want the government to bring in laws guaranteeing minimum support price and procurement of agriculture produce,” Mr. Hiremath said.
