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The Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to hear plea of the Karnataka Lokayukta against grant of anticipatory bail by the high court to BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, the main accused in the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents (KSDL) contract scam. The plea was initially mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who asked the Lokayukta's counsel to mention the matter before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. When the counsel requested that the matter be listed as earlier as possible, the CJI said since the court of the Chief Justice is hearing a constitution bench matter, it will not be possible for the bench to hear it. CJI Chandrachud said, "You can mention the matter before the bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. We are hearing a constitution bench matter or else we would have taken it at the end of the board". The counsel said the matter can be taken up at 2 pm. CJI Chandrachud said, "Alright. You mention before Justice Kaul". Th
Maharashtra will have a Lokayukta law on the lines of the Centre's Lokpal law which will also bring chief minister and ministers under its ambit, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference on the eve of the winter session of the state legislature, he said a bill in this regard will be introduced. The recommendations of a panel led by social activist Anna Hazare have been accepted completely. He said the Lokayukta will be a retired chief justice of the High Court or a Supreme Court (judge). "The chief minister will be brought under the ambit of Lokayukta and so will the ministers (of the state Cabinet)," Fadnavis added.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday said if there was any attempt by any state government to weaken the Lok Ayukta system, then the concerned Governor "has a role to play" as they are "not rubber stamps". Speaking at the Lok Ayukta Day event held here, Ravi said if there was any attempt to weaken the institution of Lok Ayukta within the confines of the Constitution, then "Governors have a role to play". "Any kind of amendment which weakens the institution, the Governor must take a call because Governors are not rubber stamps," he said at the event which was also attended by Kerala Law Minister P Rajeeve. His remarks assume significance as the LDF government in Kerala recently passed the controversial Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to make the executive the appellate authority over reports by the anti-corruption watchdog, and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is yet to sign the same. Khan has been at the receiving end of sharp criticism from the Left government in Kerala for