According to the reply, Lokayukta M L Tahaliyani has approached Maharashtra’s Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in all these cases. According to the reply, Lokayukta M L Tahaliyani has approached Maharashtra’s Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in all these cases.

The Maharashtra government has initiated action in barely 1 per cent of the complaints lodged before the Lokayukta in the last three years. Information obtained under the Right to Information Act reveals that while a total of 13,477 complaints have been registered with the Lokayutka between January 1, 2015 and May 31, 2017, the government has submitted action taken reports in barely 144 cases.

The RTI reply obtained by activist Jeetendra Ghadge reveals that the Lokayukta had recommended action against officials in at least 316 cases. Replying to the query, the office of the Lokayukta has admitted to be dissatisfied with the government’s response in 642 cases. According to the reply, Lokayukta M L Tahaliyani has approached Maharashtra’s Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in all these cases.

Of the 13,477 complaints, 5,200 were lodged in 2015, 5,850 in 2016, and 2,427 were registered till May 31, 2017. The Lokayukta disposed of 1,720 complaints at the preliminary stage, ruling there was no ground to proceed. “This shows the lackadaisical manner in which the government authorities treat complaints raised before the Lokayukta,” said Ghadge. While the BJP had backed the Jan Lokpal movement while in opposition, Ghadge said the party did not want a strong independent anti-corruption watchdog now that it was in power.

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