HC asks govt to respond to PIL on Lok Ayukta Act

Chennai: Madras high court on Monday directed state govt to respond to a PIL seeking effective implementation of the Tamil Nadu Lok Ayukta Act in the state. The petition alleged that the act which came into force in 2018 has not been properly implemented.Admitting the plea moved by V Jeevakumar, the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the state to file its response in three weeks.According to the petitioner, the Tamil Nadu Lok Ayukta mechanism was established to inquire into corruption allegations, has not been implemented effectively. The petitioner pointed out that the Lok Ayukta’s website states that 617 complaints were disposed of between 2019 and 2024 and that 137 complaints were pending as of Dec 2025.

However, the website does not disclose how many cases have been ordered for investigation or the present status of the pending complaints, he said.The petition further stated that while the law provides for the appointment of an officer of the rank of deputy secretary as the Lok Ayukta Secretary, the state govt issued a GO in 2020 amending the rules to permit the appointment of a serving or retired district judge as secretary. The petitioner contended that this amendment violates the central legislation and sought the quashing of the GO.