From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 17: Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Wednesday November 16 said that the Governor has referred back the Goa Lokayukta Bill 2011 to the state government raising some queries.

Kamat told reporters in Panaji the bill has been referred to the state law department to examine the queries and write back to the Raj Bhavan.

The bill which was passed on October 6 this year on the floor of the House was referred to Governor’s office a fortnight ago. Chief minister said that he did not know what were the queries raised by Raj Bhavan for the bill.

The bill, initially named as Goa Lokayukta Bill 2003, was passed in the year 2007 and thereafter referred to the centre. It was sent back by the President of India pointing out to certain queries.

As the Anna Hazare movement picked up across the country, including Goa, the bill was forced to be taken up in the state legislative assembly for the recently held session by India Against Corruption (IAC) activists by deleting the objectionable clauses.

The bill was passed with new name 'Goa Lokayukta Bill 2011,’ and referred to the Governor. Kamat said that the bill was referred back this week.

IAC activists today said that the decision to refer back the bill smacks of a delaying tactics. “The bill should have been directly sent to President as all the queries pointed out last time were satisfied,” IAC activist Satish Sonak said.

He said that the state government, now should make public all the objections raised by Raj Bhavan. “If government wants that they should earn the confidence of public, they should let people know what are the objections raised,” Sonak said.

IAC has also decided to refer the matter to anti-graft crusaders Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal to get their suggestions.