Meghalaya: Search on for Lokayukta members in state

Shillong: The selection committee of the Lokayukta met on Wednesday to discuss on names suggested by the search committee in Meghalaya.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma said, “The meeting was to finalise on the search committee to give names or suggest members who could be put in the Lokayukta. Last year, we had selected the chairman of the Lokayukta after many years that it happened; it was part of commitment to ensure that there is accountability in the system. Concerned about the other members that should be there and keeping that in mind there was a need to put up the search committee that would recommend names for the other members that should be put up. We have amended our own act to make it very clear that the committee can function right now even with the chairman. Lokayutka will function even though the members are not yet appointed but the process for searching has started now.”

The search committee of the Lokayukta will consists of six members.

The search committee will look into the background and do a thorough check on the names of people to be included in the Lokayukta. “It’s not a simple process. It will be a time-consuming process, and hence, it would be inappropriate to give the committee a deadline. The background of the members or names suggested it needs to be checked in detail. The committee will do its exercise and submit the report,” added the CM.

Meanwhile, member of the selection committee, Mukul Sangma, raised questions concerning the delay of meeting of the select committee.

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“The Supreme Court has given its order in October last year. Why does it take one year to have a meeting of this select committee? This reflects the complete lack of sincerity and lack of concern and commitment from the government and that is not good. The purpose of this act is essential; the whole country is talking about the issue of corruption. That chalta hain attitude is against the spirit of the law itself,” said Sangma.

Sangma said that the select committee constitutes the search committee, now that the search committee has been constituted and once it is notified and as per the provisions as per the terms of the reference will come up with the names for both judicial and non-judicial members.

Once this list is submitted to the selection committee, they will again decide on the ultimate members who should be representative of both judicial and non-judicial. This exercise will immediately happen when the committee submits the list of names for both judicial and non-judicial members.