The Andhra Pradesh government today decided to amend the Lokayukta Act to bring elected public representatives of local bodies under its purview for trying them on corruption charges.

Similarly, an amendment will be brought in to the Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta Act, 1983, to bring officials drawing Rs 7,400 and less as basic pay under the anti-corruption ombudsman's purview.

The cabinet, that met under the chairmanship of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy this evening, approved the proposed amendments to the act, a senior minister said.

"Sections 2,8 and 9 of the AP Lokayukta Act will be amended, while a new Section 13 (A) will be incorporated. This will enable imposing penalty on those who file false complaints with the Lokayukta," he said.

Chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of zilla parishads and mandal parishads, zilla parishad territorial constituency members, mayors and deputy mayors, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of municipal councils, corporators, councillors, panchayat sarpanches and members would be brought under the ambit of the Lokayukta.

Revenue divisional officers, deputy superintendents of police, inspectors, tehsildars and mandal development officers, among others, too would now be brought under the anti-graft body's purview since a large number of complaints were coming up against them, the minister explained.

Employees of central government organisations and undertakings working in the state and staff of co-operative bodies too would be brought under the anti-corruption agency for matters related to corruption.