Time running out for all Karnataka legislators

The quasi-judicial institution of Lokayukta could be on a collision course with the two houses of the state legislature, which looks to blow into major issue. The 224 members of legislative assembly (MLAs) and 75 members of legislative council (MLCs) have to file their statements of assets and liabilities before the Lokayukta before June 30, as per the Karnataka Lokayukta Act.

Despite the June 29 evening deadline less than 48 hours away, just 40 MLAs and less than 15 MLCs have declared their assets.

And Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, who has put in his papers over his anger and frustration for the state government letting him down on the promise of providing him with suo motu powers, is in no lenient mood.

The Lokayukta is empowered to ask the state to disqualify any legislator, who fails to file his/her statement of assets by the set deadline, from the assembly or the council. “I will issue notices to those who fail to file their statements by the evening of June 29 and submit a report to the governor. The names of defaulters will also be published in three prominent newspapers. They will be given a further two months’ period, till August 31, to file the statements,” Justice Hegde told DNA.

Justice Hegde has sent his resignation to the governor, but he will remain in office till August 31 that means he will be in office to ensure that the defaulters are strictly dealt with before he quits his post.

Although Justice Hegde is right now focussed on the Sanjana Singh death case and the second report on irregularities in mining, he made it clear that he would strictly initiate action against the defaulting legislators.

The powers of the Lokayukta in this regard has been upheld by the Karnataka High Court in 1998 on the basis of which two ministers, Nagappa Saloni and Ashwathnarayan Reddy, were made to resign from the JH Patel ministry in 1999.

In a similar scenario in 2006, the Lokayukta had asked then chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to drop two of his ministers—agriculture marketing minister Sharanabasappa Darshanapur and sports minister Alkod Hanumanthappa—from the cabinet for their failure to declare their assets and liabilities before the prescribed deadline in 2006.

However, Kumaraswamy chose to use his discretionary powers and allowed the two to continue in their posts.

Ironically, today, it is the same Kumaraswamy putting pressure on chief minister BS Yeddyurappa to provide more powers to the Lokayukta.

With a determined Justice Hegde set to complete his two remaining months before his resignation comes into effect on August 31, there is much curiosity among the political circles about the events unfolding after June 29.