Additional Advocate General C. Manishankar on Monday informed the Madras High Court that the State government is already in the process of establishing Lokayukta, in accordance with the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013.
Mr. Manishankar made the submission on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition moved by the CPI (M), represented by its Tamil Nadu State General Secretary G. Ramakrishnan seeking a direction to the State to establish the Lokayukta within a time frame fixed by the court.
Spread of corruption
Recording the submissions of the Additional Advocate General, the First Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar directed the government to file a status report on the development in four weeks and posted the plea to July 10 for further hearing.
The petitioner said the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act was passed by Parliament in 2013 paving way for their establishment to check corruption in public offices and ensure accountability on the part of the public officials.
Contending that the failure to constitute such an institution has emboldened a large section of the political and bureaucratic officers of the State to engage in corruption on a large scale, he wanted the court to direct the State government to file a status report.
