No LoP, but will continue spirit of Lokayukta: Lokesh

Vijayawada: Minister for education, IT and electronics Nara Lokesh on Friday announced that the TDP-led NDA government will certainly continue the spirit of Lokayukta though there is no Leader of Opposition in the legislature now.

After introducing the bill for amendments to the Lokayukta Act in the Legislative Council, Lokesh said that a certain new atmosphere has emerged in the state after the 2024 elections. Earlier, the Chief Minister was the chairman of the Lokayukta, the Speaker of the Assembly, the home minister or any other Cabinet minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chairman of the Legislative Council were the members.

“Now, since there is no Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, the Lokayukta committee will consist of other four members. The present amendment is being introduced with regard to the appointment of the Chairman,” he said while introducing the bill for amendments to the Lokayukta Act on the composition of the Lokayukta Members Selection Committee.

Stating that in general either the retired Chief Justice of the High Court or a retired judge from the High Court heads the Lokayukta as chairman while the Upalokayukta is headed by a retired district judge, the IT minister told the Upper House that the amendment bill is thus being introduced in the House.

Responding to an appeal made by a member K S Lakshmana Rao that since there is no Leader of Opposition one member from the Opposition party can be considered, the minister clarified that it is clearly mentioned in the amendment bill that ‘When there is no Leader of Opposition’ and that it was not deleted by the Government.

Making it clear that all the members of both the Houses are partners in a democracy, Lokesh said that the people decided who should sit where. “We were sitting in the Opposition earlier and now assumed power after the people’s verdict. We have a sacred responsibility and we will certainly take ahead the spirit of Lokayukta,” Lokesh said in the House.

Pointing out that the YSRCP leaders have filed their nominations for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) elections, Lokesh stated that whoever wins the poll the Speaker and the Council Chairman will decide who will be the chairman and the members of the PAC.

The YSRCP did not take part in this PAC election and the situation is so pathetic that the former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is not attending the proceedings of the Assembly, he

added. Lokesh said that taking all these issues into consideration the decision has been taken.