Bahuguna's Cabinet decides to repeal Khanduri's Lokayukta

The Bahuguna government today decided to repeal the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act introduced by the previous BJP government in the state and replace it with a new legislation modelled on the Lokpal Bill to pave the way for creation of an effective anti-corruption watchdog.

The decision was taken by the state Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.

The Cabinet also decided to convene a special session of the Assembly from January 13 to introduce and pass the new Lokayukta bill.

Briefing reporters about the decisions taken at the meeting, Bahuguna said the new Lokayukta bill, which will replace the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill passed by the state assembly during Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri's tenure, is modelled on the Centre's Lokpal and will have the chief minister under the ambit of its investigation.

The five-member Lokayukta body will be headed by the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court and will have two seats reserved, one each for a woman and one SC/ST member on the panel, he said.

Soon after the Cabinet briefing by the Chief Minister, the ruling Congress appealed to all political parties to cooperate with the government to ensure the passage of the new Lokayukta Bill in the assembly and help in creation of an effective anti-corruption ombudsman in the state.

"The party hails it as a significant move by the state government. Now, all political parties should support the new Lokayukta bill in the state assembly and ensure its unanimous passage by the House," PCC vice president Suryakant Dhasmana said.

Drafted when Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign was at its peak in Delhi, Khanduri's Lokayukta Bill got Presidential assent in September this year but the state government had reservations about implementing it.