BHUBANESWAR : Even after four months of coming to power, the BJP government seems to be in no hurry to fill up several crucial positions that are lying vacant for a considerable period in at least four statutory bodies. Three of them have been rendered headless.
The Odisha Lokayukta, Odisha Information Commission (OIC) and Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) are without chairpersons for a period ranging from six months to one year.
Odisha Lokayukta, the anti-corruption ombudsman to inquire into allegations of corruption against public functionaries including chief minister, ministers, members of the legislature, officers and employees of the state government, has been rendered dysfunctional for more than six months.
Left with a lone member in retired IPS offcer and former director general of police Rajendra Prasad Sharma after retirement of chairperson Justice Ajit Singh and judicial member Justice BK Nayak in March followed by another member Debabrata Swain in April this year, the Lokayukta is unable to hear any case due to want of quorum. It requires at least two members, including a judicial member, to function.
The previous government had completed the procedure of constituting a search committee for selection of a chairperson and two members for the Lokayukta. The committee had recommended names to the selection committee headed by the chief minister. The other members of the committee include Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, leader of Opposition and Speaker of the Assembly.
Sources said as the model code of conduct came into force after announcement of elections to Assembly and Lok Sabha, the selection process came to a halt. The BJP government is yet to take a call whether to accept the recommendations of the previous search committee or go for a fresh selection.
Of the five members of the Odisha Information Commission, the posts of chairperson and two other members are lying vacant. A day before the state chief information commissioner demitted the office on October 4, 2024, the state government had issued a notice inviting applications for the post. But, there has been no progress since.
OERC, the quasi-judicial body to regulate power tariff and promote competition, efficiency and economy in power sector, is also without a chairperson since November last year after appointment of Suresh Chandra Mohapatra as the chief advisor to the then CM Naveen Patnaik.
Similarly, a member post of the OHRC is also lying vacant. Former judicial officer Gajendra Mohapatra, a member of the commission, is now officiating as acting chairman.