EDITORIAL
For good governance, Goa needs a Lokayukta with prosecution powers
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday asked the state government to place a status report on the steps taken for the appointment of a Lokayukta at the next hearing. Trinamool Congress national spokesperson Trajano D’mello filed the petition on the grounds that the post of Lokayukta has been lying vacant since December 2024, causing inordinate delay in dispensing justice.
The state told the High Court that efforts are under way to appoint a Lokayukta, and that the process to identify the right candidate is taking time. Highlighting the importance of the Lokayukta, the petitioner said it is an anti-corruption ombudsman and a forum to inquire into grievances and allegations against public functionaries in Goa.
Fifteen years ago, when the anti-corruption campaign led by Anna Hazare swept the country, BJP leaders, along with their karyakartas, had joined the movement “to cleanse the system of corruption”. There was a strong demand for a Lokayukta from the then opposition. Most of them are now in the ruling.
In 2011, then chief minister Digambar Kamat got the Goa Lokayukta Bill, 2011, passed in the assembly, but the assent was delayed. Ahead of the 2012 assembly elections, the BJP, in its election manifesto, promised a Lokayukta within 100 days of coming to power. Supreme Court Judge B Sudarshan Reddy was appointed as Goa’s first Lokayukta in October 2013. Seven months later, he resigned citing personal reasons. Incidentally, he was the INDI alliance candidate for the post of Vice-President of India recently. After him, the post remained vacant for two and a half years.
Retired Chief Justice of Bihar High Court P K Misra was appointed Lokayukta in April 2016 and passed several orders exposing corruption and misappropriation. He found several politicians and bureaucrats guilty of corruption. On a complaint filed by a then-opposition MLA, who is now a cabinet minister, the Lokayukta passed an order against the then tourism minister on the “beach cleaning scam”. However, the government did not act on any of the 21 reports (orders) submitted by Misra. He had also passed orders against two MLAs for disproportionate assets.
While submitting his report to the governor, Misra said that the Goa Lokayukta needed more teeth to punish the corrupt. Despite much hype, the Goa legislation, unlike Karnataka’s, did not provide for prosecution of the guilty. It was promised but never incorporated. The Lokayukta passed orders, but it was not mandatory for the government to act on them – they were only recommendatory. Finding the system corroded and unable to enforce findings, he reportedly said, “Only God can save the state.” Those who claim that there have been no scams in the government, must look at the orders passed by the Lokayukta Justice Misra.
Justice Ambada Joshi succeeded Justice Misra. Statistics showed that corruption and maladministration complaints and case disposals declined during his tenure, and he retired on December 15, 2024. Since then, the government has indicated that a new Lokayukta would be appointed, but so far, “the process is on”. The absence of a Lokayukta is a serious concern that undermines transparency, accountability and good governance. BJP’s rise in Goa was based on anti-corruption campaigns in the 1990s, and it came to power on the same plank.
Goa needs a Lokayukta, but the government must amend the Lokayukta Act to give the ombudsman more teeth. A Lokayukta should not be appointed for the sake of it. To ensure accountability and good governance, Goa requires a Lokayukta with prosecution powers.
