(1) Except as hereinafter provided the Lok Ayukta or an Upa-Lok Ayukta shall not conduct any investigation under this Act, in the case of a complaint involving a grievance in respect of any action, if such action relates to any matter specified in the Second Schedule.

(2) The Lok Ayukta or an Upa-Lok Ayukta shall not investigate, -

(a) any action in respect of which a formal and public inquiry has been ordered with the prior concurrence of the Lok Ayukta or an Upa-Lok Ayukta, as the case may be,

(b) any action in respect of a matter which has been referred to inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 (Central Act 60 of 1952),

(c) any complaint involving an allegation made after the expiry of five years from the date on which the action complained against is alleged to have taken place.

Provided that a complaint referred to in clause (c) may be entertained by the Lok Ayukta or an Upa-Lok Ayukta, as the case may be, after the expiry of the period referred to in the said clause, if the complainant satisfies that he had sufficient cause for not making the complaint within the period specified in that clause

(3) In the case of any complaint involving a grievance, nothing in this Act shall be construed as empowering the Lok Ayukta or an Upa-Lok Ayukta to question any administrative action involving the exercise of a discretion, except where he is satisfied that the elements involved in the exercise of the discretion are absent to such an extent that the discretion can prima-facie be regarded as having been improperly exercised.