Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind returns Lokayukta Amendment Bill to Assembly

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was present in the House when the Governor’s message on Lokayukta appointment was taken up. The Governor has mentioned that in the proposed “Bihar Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2016, no time frame has been stipulated within which the process of selection of a successor of the office is to be completed.

“Process for selecting the Lokayukta and its members cannot be allowed to continue for an indefinite period as it will provide an opening for seepage of distrust and will also give an opportunity to the people at large to raise a shadow of doubt over the efficacy and authority of the constitution of the Lokayukta as an independent body to conduct inquiries related to corruption and misuse of official position by persons sitting in higher position,” read the message.

“Therefore, it will be incumbent to follow the principle of reasonables and if be needed have a provision which stipulate a reasonable time frame work for the selection and appointment of successor of the office because keeping this open will create chaos in the constitutional frame work,” it further said.

“Therefore, the proposed ‘Bihar Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ be returned with a request that both the Houses of the Legislature will re-consider the aforesaid bill as suggested above,” the Governor’s message to the legislators said.