CUTTACK: Justice BP Das Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the State Government to recommend reforms in Shri Jagannath temple in Puri, has sought extension of date for submission of its report due to delay in receiving suggestions from the public.
Secretary of the one-member judicial panel Bibhu Prasanna Parija said the Commission had fixed December 20, 2016 as the last date for receiving suggestions from the public in the form of affidavits, letters as well as emails. For the purpose, it had set up 32 drop boxes at all 30 district headquarters and the Commission office at Cuttack besides the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer, Bhubaneswar.
However, the Commission was not able to get feedback from 14 districts by December 20. Till date, it has received 12,791 suggestions which included 11,091 affidavits and is yet to get inputs from nine districts, including Rayagada and Mayurbhanj, Parija said.
The State Government on July 23 had appointed the Commission of Inquiry to bring reforms into the functioning of Puri Jagannath temple following the hue and cry over the attack on Puri District Collector and delay in conducting the rituals of Lord Jagannath on the Niladri Bije day on July 17.
The Commission was scheduled to submit its report within a duration of six months which is going to lapse on January 22.