BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government will have to find a new Director-General of Police (DGP) as the incumbent Dr RP Sharma is all set to join as Member of the Lokayukta on Thursday.
On the basis of Selection Committee recommendation of Dr Sharma’s name as Member (Non-Judicial), Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal’s office sent in its approval. A special messenger of the State Government handed over the letter to Dr Sharma on Monday.
Dr Sharma has reportedly applied for voluntary retirement and is likely to relinquish his present post on August 8. He will join the anti-corruption body the same day.
So far, no official word on the next DGP has been issued by the State Government which will have to name an in-charge DGP first before the full-time State Police chief is appointed as per the protocol issued by the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the development, Dr Sharma told media persons, “There is a process and a notification will be issued in this regard. I will join only after a formal notification is issued. I will put my previous experience as the chief of the vigilance wing of Odisha Police to serve the Lokayukta.” Dr Sharma took over as DGP on August 30, 2017.
The Lokayukta become functional in the State from April 8 this year. It is headed by former Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court Ajit Singh. The five-member constitutional body has two other members - Justice (retd) BK Nayak and former IFS officer Debabrata Swain.
As per the Lokayukta Act, the fifth member of the anti-corruption body will either be a woman or member from Scheduled Category or the minority community.