Steps being taken to update information on website: Lokayukta

Steps will be taken to update information available on the Karnataka Lokayukta website, Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde has said.

Mr. Hegde was reacting to an order of the Karnataka Information Commission asking the institution to comply with the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act regarding voluntary disclosure of information.

“We have provided a lot of information on our website http://lokayukta.kar.nic.in,” he told

The Hindu . “With regard to information that the Commission wants us to provide on the website, we will look at steps taken by other statutory bodies, including the Information Commission, and act accordingly,” Mr. Hegde said.

In the order dated August 16, the Commission said the Lokayukta need to display on its website all information including that about the number of pending files and dates of opening and disposal of the files.

“Voluntary disclosure of information is a statutory requirement and the office of the Karnataka Lokayukta cannot be exempted from it,” State Chief Information Commissioner K.K. Misra observed in the order.

Mr. Hegde said the institution of Lokayukta had been in the forefront of bringing transparency in administration. “All information sought by the Commission is on the website. If the Commission wants us to display on the website orders passed by us, then we have to consider it. We have to look at the way other statutory institutions are doing this,” he said adding, “this will also require additional personnel and more money.”

However, Mr. Hegde said steps were being taken to update the information available on the website. “We are assigning a person with the task of updating information such as the number of complaints filed, cases disposed and other details. The person will be collecting information from various departments of the institution and upload it on the website,” Mr. Hegde added.