Chandra Mohan Prasad takes oath at Raj Bhavan. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Aug. 25: Justice (retired) Chandra Mohan Prasad, who was sworn in as the new Lokayukta (anti-corruption ombudsman) of Bihar today, wants a stronger Lokayukta in the state.

Justice Prasad was sworn in by Governor Devanand Konwar at Raj Bhavan today replacing Ram Nandan Prasad as his term ended on Wednesday.

After the oath-taking ceremony, Prasad told The Telegraph: “Whatever provisions we have for making a strong Lokayukta, I will work in that direction.” He said depending upon the situation, circumstances and provisions, actions would be taken in a case.

Prasad’s statement assumes importance because the Nitish Kumar government has been mulling steps, which include amendments in the Bihar Lokayukta Act, 1973, to lend more teeth to the Lokayukta office.

Bihar will soon adopt a suitable amendment to the legislation for a strong and effective Lokayukta, which would have the chief minister under its purview.

Nitish had announced that the post of the chief minister would fall in the ambit of the Lokayukta’s investigation.

On Independence Day, Nitish had stated that corruption is a major threat to the country and that the institution of Lokayukta will be made stricter.

The amended legislation will be passed in the next session of the state Assembly. The institution of Lokayukta has existed for 38 years in Bihar.

However, the outgoing Lokayukta R.N. Prasad had time and again claimed that the Lokayakuta in Bihar has neither the power nor the resources required to act independently and make the kind of impact that the ombudsman in Karnataka has done.

A stronger Lokayukta in Bihar is in the direction of chief minister’s crusade against corruption in the state. The government had already enacted a legislation, which provides for confiscation of properties of corrupt public servants.

R.N. Prasad had also mooted that having a dedicated police force like the Lokayuktas of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh would make the Bihar Lokayukta stronger.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Lokayukta after taking the oath, met Nitish, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, cabinet colleague P.K. Shahi, art culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey, tourism minister Sunil Kumar ‘Pintu’ and Leader of Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui.