Bhubaneswar, Aug. 12 (UDN): Odisha is set to get a new Lokayukta, with the state government initiating the process to fill the key anti-corruption post.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Tuesday said the first meeting of the committee responsible for selecting the Lokayukta has already been held, signalling the beginning of the appointment process.
The selection is being carried out through the prescribed committee mechanism involving the Chief Minister, the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly and the Leader of Opposition. The decision will be taken on the basis of a majority among the members of the committee.
Speaking about the development, Pujari said the process would be completed in due course and expressed hope that the state would have a new Lokayukta soon.
The development comes against the backdrop of Opposition criticism over the delay in appointing a successor to the state’s Lokayukta. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has questioned the government over the time taken to complete the appointment.
Rejecting the criticism, Pujari compared the current government’s tenure with the previous administration and accused the Opposition of raising the issue for political reasons.
He argued that while the present government had been in office for around two years, the previous administration had failed to take similar action over a much longer period.
The Lokayukta plays a significant role in Odisha’s anti-corruption framework, particularly in examining allegations of corruption and misconduct involving public functionaries.
With the selection committee’s initial meeting now completed, the focus has shifted to the next stages of the process and the eventual appointment of the new Lokayukta.
The appointment is expected to strengthen the state’s institutional mechanism for dealing with corruption-related complaints and restore a full-fledged leadership to the anti-corruption body.
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