TN Lokayukta to start functioning with new non-judicial members

With these appointments, the defunct Tamil Nadu Lokayukta could start functioning with a full bench of five members, including a chairperson and two judicial members. 

Though the Governor, on April 1, had appointed retired justice of Madras High Court P Devadass as the chairperson of the five-member Lokayukta, it continued to remain defunct after the High Court stayed the appointment of Rajaram and Arumugam on April 5. Former district judges K Jayabalan and R Krishnamoorthy are the two judicial members. 

On July 23, the Supreme Court vacated the Madras High Court stay that stalled the appointment of two non-judicial members. The High Court, in its order on April 4, however, did not stay the functioning of the state anti-corruption ombudsman. 

A senior government official said that though they were receiving complaints, the cases could be heard only in the presence of full members, including non-judicial members. “With the Supreme Court vacating the stay on the appointment of the non-judicial members and Governor formally appointing them, the Lokayukta will start hearing complaints again,” he said. 

Despite the appointment of the chairperson and two judicial members, the State government has not set up an office for the functioning of Lokayukta. When contacted, a senior government official said that Lokayukta started functioning from the house of justice P Devedass as its camp office. “Two places have been identified for the Lokayukta office,” the official said.