Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly Rahul Narwekar, Chief Minister Ekhnath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and MLAs during a group photo outside the Vidhan Bhavan during the Winter Session.
Credit: PTI Photo
Napgur: The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Friday passed the Lokayukta Bill 2022 which brings the chief minister and council of ministers under the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman.
The bill had been passed by the state assembly during last year's winter session.
Some legislators had raised objections when it was tabled in the council earlier, following which the bill was referred to a joint committee.
After some of the recommendations were incorporated, Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar tabled it again in the upper house and it was passed unanimously on Friday.
Speaking in the council, Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis said the draft was created after several meetings between officials and a team of social activists and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.
"The provisions of the anti-corruption act (Prevention of Corruption Act) have been incorporated in the bill. The chief minister and council of ministers will come under the ambit of the ombudsman," he said.
He asserted the appointment of Lokayukta will be transparent as the search committee would include the Chief Minister, both DCMs, Speaker, Chairperson as well as Leaders of Opposition in the Assembly and Council, and the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
If the Lokayukta finds merit in a complaint against the CM, then he can start preliminary inquiry and seek the Speaker's permission to prosecute the CM, Fadnavis said.
Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap said impartiality must be maintained, while Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir demanded that necessary infrastructure for the Lokayukta be provided immediately.