DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 23 (MExN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers Organisation (NVCO) has urged the Nagaland State Government to identify candidates for the vacant Lokayukta post in Nagaland and asked politicians not to lobby for their own candidate if at all they support the institution to truly function as per the Act.
A press release from the NVCO recalled that the former Governor, RN Ravi had returned the Lokayukta (Amendment No.2) Bill to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker for reconsideration. The bill had sought change of time period for appointing a new Lokayukta from 6 months to 1 year.
The NVCO noted that the Lokayukta was the “hub driving the anti-corruption wheel in the State and ensured transparency in governance, coupled with probity in public life, thereby ensuring justice for all as enshrined in the Preamble to the Indian constitution.”
It asked the two-member search committee consisting of the State Chief Secretary and Advocate General to “hurriedly identify candidates for appointment of next Nagaland Lokayukta as the stipulated time period of six-months already expired on August 5, 2021 as the (Amendment No.2) Bill was rejected by the former Governor RN Ravi.”
The NVCO further asked politicians not to lobby for their own candidate. “Especially for the post of Upa-Lokayukta, the Naga people don’t want a person who retires as government servant/bureaucrats/technocrats, etc with accumulations of wealth,” the organization said.
“He or she should not be someone having record of corrupt practices and pending cases against them with scam and having political party affiliation,” it added.
“If at all politicians lobby for their candidate of any retired government servants/bureaucrats/technocrats, etc then the State Government may constitute an investigating agency to assess their assets so that they are free from disproportionate assets,” the NVCO recommended.
