Delayed appointment of Lok Ayukta, new cases rise by 7243

The BJP government in Maharashtra has appointed Justice Madanlal Tahiliani as Lok Ayukta after a delay of almost 418 days. During the same period the Lok Ayukta and Upa Lok Ayukta office received fresh 7243 cases with the revenue and forest dept topping the list as 1386 cases pertains to it.  Also 2 ministers in the govt have cases filed against them. This information was provided to RTI activist Anil Galgali by the Lok Ayukta and the Upa Lok Ayukta office RTI activist Anil Galgali had filed an RTI query with the Lok Ayukta and the Upa Lok Ayukta office seeking details about how many fresh cases were filed with the office during the period when the Lok Ayukta post was vacant. The Desk officer and the Public Information officer of the Lok Ayukta and Upa Lok Ayukta office informed Galgali that during the period when the post of the Lok Ayukta was vacant i.e  2nd July 2014 to, 21st August 2015 almost 7243 fresh cases were filed with the office. Also 4411 cases previously filed are pending as on 21st August 2015. The PIO also provided the segregation of cases, department wise for 6098  cases filed  between 1st July 2014 to 31st August 2015.  Anil Galgali has condemned the the delay in the appointment of the Lok Ayukta and stated that the lethargy of the Govt in appointment of such sensitive and important positions send a wrong message about the seriousness of the Govt to tackle corruption and also the ministers, bureaucrats and staff begin to feel that the position of Lok Ayukta is ineffective and insignificant. # Revenue and Forests dept tops list in fresh cases The segregated list provided for the period of 1st July 2014 to 31st August 2015 has accorded the no. 1 position to the Revenue and Forests dept with as many as 1386  cases pertains to it, it is followed by the various zilla parishads with 712 cases pertaining to it. 787 cases pertains to the others category, followed by 520 pertaining to various municipal corporations, 401 of the home ministry, 218 of the school education and sports dept, 216 of the public health dept, 178 of the Higher and Technical Education dept, 178 of the Water Resources dept, 174 from Public works dept, 168 from Agriculture and Animal husbandry dept , 164 from the Municipal Councils, 135 pertains to Cooperative, Marketing and Textile dept, 108 to the Rural development dept, 105 pertains to Social Justice and Special Assistance dept. # Complaints against 2 Minister's as well. During the period that the position of Lok Ayukta was vacant and out of the dept wise segregated 6098 cases, it has come to light that there are complaints against 2 ministers of the current govt as well, but the names could not be identified as the names have not been provided in the information by the office. # Upa Lok Ayukta post was also vacant. The position of the Upa Lok Ayukta is also vacant for the past 8 months. The post was occupied by Retd Chief Secretary Johnny Joseph, who has also since retired 8 months back, making the post vacant as the government has not made any fresh appointment to the post.