Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 17: BJP National Executive Member & J&K Chief Spokesperson Dr Jitendra Singh appealed here today to the State Coalition Government to bring in a legislation in the next session of Legislative Assembly to appoint State Lokayukta. He said, with the Parliament almost unanimous on Lokpal Bill and the National Conference (NC) also supporting it, this is a strange contradiction that for the State of Jammu & Kashmir which has been rated as among the three most corrupt States in the country, the same NC led Government finds no need to appoint a Lokayukta here.
Dr Jitendra Singh observed, it is already too late considering the fact that most of the leading States of India already have a Lokayukta.While Maharashtra was the first State to introduce Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act way back in 1971, he said, similar acts have subsequently been enacted by the States of Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi and Goa. It is embarrassing that J&K enjoys the dubious distinction of being in the bracket of a handful of peripheral States like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, etc which are yet to enact a provision for Lokayukta ,he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh accused certain coalition Ministers of issuing misleading statements that in J&K, Legislation for “Lokayukta” can not be brought in because of Article 370.He said, this is not true and clarified that as per the Constitution, the “Lokayukta” provision can be brought in “notwithstanding any other provision” and this implies “notwithstanding Article 370” as well.
Making a dig, Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out, NC Government was among the first State Governments in the country to have adopted POTA (Prevention Of Terrorism Act) and at that time it did not care for Article 370 because it was faced with the heat of militancy but it gets suddenly reminded of Article 370 when it comes to public welfare legislations which do not suit it,be it “Lokayukta” or 73rd, 74th Amendment for Panchayats or 44th Amendment reducing the term of Legislature Assembly to five years.
Dr Jitendra Singh advised the State Government to read the writing on the wall lest it should be forced by a mass movement to hold itself accountable in the same manner as has been witnessed in some other States of the country.
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