Officers not following laws, giving wrong advice will face action

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval for a new policy under which officials will face "consequences" of not following laws, and giving wrong advice to the government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said.

"The salient features of the 'Law and Policy 2023' is to ensure that the benefit of the Constitution reaches the people in terms of life with dignity; people should not be at the mercy of the government; government should be at the service of the people; to ensure litigation free villages; to start the directorate of legal education, and to establish the advocates training academy," Patil said.

Briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions, he said: "It also speaks about providing a conducive environment for professionals, new laws to better governance, change in litigation policy of government to restrain from unnecessary litigations, strengthening the system to respect human rights. It also provides for undertaking a massive Constitution literacy programme, so that the people are informed of their Constitutional rights and exercise them effectively, the Minister further said, adding, "officials will be made to adhere to laws and rules, they shall be accountable to consequences of not following the laws and tendering wrong advice to the government."

Legal education will be toned up and the legal aid activities of law colleges and institutions involved in legal education and training NGOs, will be coordinated to serve the society, he said.

Pointing at the policy prescribing measures to make departments follow laws and rules, Patil said Department of Law is endeavouring to bring laws to make officers and staff of various departments to commit themselves for implementing the laws and those not implementing to be punished.

"There are laws which have not specified responsibilities and penalties, such a vacuum will be now looked into and appropriate measures will be brought in," he added.

Responding to a question, the Minister said the three new criminal laws did not come up for discussion at the Cabinet. However, the Department of Law and Parliamentary Affairs of the state is now in the process of framing the amendments.

"I think 23-25 amendments or additions are required according to the report that we have already submitted to the central government," he added.

To bring transparency in the transfers of sub-registrars, the Cabinet has given its approval for introducing a counselling system, which will come into effect immediately.

For the first division assistants (FDA), counselling will be effective from next year. It has also given administrative approva l for Rs 2,000 crore for infrastructure development in 10 municipal corporations, under the Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikas Yojana (MGNVY) 2.0.

The other decisions taken by the Cabinet include administrative approval of Rs 363.82 crore for purchase of 840 BS-VI diesel buses for Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, approval of an estimated Rs 84.58 crore for purchase of utensils and furniture for Indira kitchen-cum-canteen as per the new menu, approval of an estimated Rs 256.15 crore for construction of 100-bed hospital in seven taluks -- Anekal, Hospet, Khanapur, Nelamangala, Shirahatti, Shringeri and Yelanduru.