A total of 1,320 cases are pending before the Lokayukta in the state. This was declared by the Kerala Lokayukta Cyriac Joseph on Wednesday.
From the inspection in 1998 till now, a total of 35,986 cases were filed before the Lokayukta out of which 34,662 cases were disposed off and 1,320 are pending. Out of the 1,320 cases, 783 are before the single bench and the rest are before the division bench of the Lokayukta.
"In many pending cases, we have made the recommendations and there are cases among it in which the party is not satisfied about the recommendations due to dispute over it. But in a good number of pending cases, it's also because of the stay orders issued by the High Court.
The Lokayukta can only make recommendations to the competent authority. The jurisdiction is defined and can’t act beyond that. The Lokayukta can only act on complaints but is not able to take suo motu case," Cyriac Joseph said.
"But having only the power to make recommendations can’t be cited as a defect. It is not the system that is defective but how effectively an existing system can be operated depends on the person who is operating it. The Supreme Court in a judgement had said that if the government cannot accept recommendations of such institutions, it should challenge it before the appropriate forum and if not, the government is bound to go with the recommendations. This is a model that can be accepted in the case of Lokayukta also," he said, adding that the government implements the recommendations in majority of the cases.
In a move to bring people closer to the institution and make them more aware of it's functioning, the Lokayukta for the first time will be organising Lokayukta day on November 15.
"We want to bring Lokayukta closer to the people, victims of corruption and maladministration can lodge complaint with the Lokayukta. They themselves can represent the case, there is no need for a lawyer and there is no fee. Though it has been functioning for two decades, we ourselves are aware that much more can be done," Cyriac Joseph said.