From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Mar 25: In a strong criticism of the amendments to Goa Lokayukta Bill 2013 by the State government, former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has termed these amendments as “unfair.”

“The amendments made by Goa government are completely unfair,” Hegde told reporters in Goa.

The state government has embedded punishment including imprisonment for the fake complaint before Lokayukta and even inserted a deemed rejection clause which means if the recommendation of the ombudsman is not accepted it is deemed to be rejected.

Hegde said that the clause of punishment for wrong complaints may discourage many from going to Lokayukta. “Definitely, no one will come forward to give complaint. What if punishment is given,” he questioned.

“If person is aggrieved (against false complaint against him with Lokayukta), there are other measures like defamation case and malicious prosecution that can be resorted to,” the former supreme court judge said.

He was particular upset over the deemed rejection clause in the act. “That’s very unfair. You create a mechanism to give recommendation to you and the act says if its not accepted, then it’s deemed to be rejected,” Hegde pointed out.

“Law in all other subjects is other way round. It is not rejected, it’s deemed to be accepted in case of law in other subjects,” he commented.

The former Karnataka Lokayukta said that these amendments will not make Lokayukta in Goa null and void, but it would not be fair to have these in the acts.