Maharashtra Extends Lokayukta Coverage to IAS Officers

In a significant move aimed at strengthening anti-corruption mechanisms, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has passed amendments to the Maharashtra Lokayukta Act, 2023, officially bringing Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers under the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta. This marks the first time senior bureaucrats of this rank will fall directly under the state’s anti-corruption watchdog. The amendments were approved on Thursday evening without any debate.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who introduced the amendment bill, explained that the changes were necessary to eliminate long-standing ambiguities about jurisdiction. One major clarification specifies that IAS officers appointed by the state government to authorities created under Central Acts will be covered by the Lokayukta. This was an area of confusion earlier, with questions raised about whether such officials should instead be answerable to the Lokpal under the national law.

The updated provisions also expand oversight to include state-appointed officers serving on boards, committees, and authorities established under Parliamentary Acts. At the same time, the amendments draw a clear line: only those authorities where the state makes appointments will fall under the Lokayukta, while authorities appointed solely by the Union government will remain under the Lokpal’s purview. Officials say this distinction will help avoid overlapping jurisdiction and streamline investigations.

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Another notable aspect of the bill is the replacement of references to repealed Central Acts. Outdated terms like the Indian Penal Code have now been substituted with modern equivalents such as the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, ensuring legal consistency with India’s updated criminal law framework. The government said these changes were incorporated based on inputs and observations raised earlier by the President’s office.

While IAS officers are now explicitly included within the Lokayukta’s ambit, special approval layers continue to apply. Any inquiry involving an IAS officer will still require the chief minister’s consent, along with the chief secretary’s views. This mirrors the safeguards in the original Act, which mandates higher-level approvals for probes against top political functionaries, including ministers, legislators, and even municipal officials.

The original Lokayukta Act—passed during the previous government—also requires a two-thirds majority in the Assembly to initiate an inquiry against a sitting or former chief minister. Similar permissions are needed from the governor, the Speaker, the Council chairperson, or the minister concerned, depending on the rank of the official involved. With the latest amendments, however, the government's focus appears to be on expanding the Lokayukta’s reach while maintaining procedural safeguards for senior officials.

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