No need for Lokayukta, we have two commissions: J&K to SC

There is no need for a Lokayukta in Jammu and Kashmir as two commissions created under the state laws comprehensively covered the scope of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, the state government told the Supreme Court today.

The state government told a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, R Banumathi and Navin Sinha that the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act, 2002, and the Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011, were similar to the Lokayukta Act of 2013.

To this, the bench observed: "You have a parallel set-up (accountability commission) headed by a retired chief justice and comprises of two retired judges. You also have a vigilance commission. You say these two commissions are adequate and you say that in view of the peculiarity of your Constitution, Lokayukta is not needed."