Writ filed seeking appointment of Ombudsman
UNB
A writ was filed with the High Court on Wednesday, seeking appointment of an Ombudsman in accordance with Article 77 of the constitution, for investigating allegations brought against government officials, reports UNB.
Advocate Eunus Ali Akhond, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the writ petition with the HC bench concerned.
Secretary to the President, Cabinet secretary, Speaker of Parliament and the Law Secretary have been made respondents to the writ. The writ also sought to issue a rule questioning the governments failure to appoint an Ombudsman.
Eunus said even after 46 years of Independence, no Ombudsman has been appointed yet, violating the Ombudsman Act 3 of 1980. As a result, the government employees and staff are not afraid of engaging in graft.
According to Article 77 (1) of the Constitution, Parliament may, by the law provide for the Office of Ombudsman.
(2). The Ombudsman shall exercise such powers and perform such function as Parliament may, by law, determine, including the power to investigate any action taken by a Ministry, a public officer or a statutory public authority.
(3). The Ombudsman shall prepare an annual report concerning the discharge of his function and such report shall be laid before Parliament.
Following mass protests as part of an anti-corruption frenzy in neighbouring India around the start of the decade, the Indian parliament in 2013 passed its own ombudsman (lokpal in Hindi) act, providing for the office with jurisdiction over all MPs and central government employees in cases of corruption.
