BHUBANESWAR: The Lokayukta in Odisha has seemingly gone into a vegetative state with the state government yet to make appointments of key members after the end of their tenure.
Left with a lone member, the anti-corruption ombudsman is not in a position to hear cases since April. After the retirement of Justice Ajit Singh in March, the post of chairperson has been lying vacant. Judicial member Justice BK Nayak’s tenure too ended in March while a second member Debabrata Swain completed his term in April. Justice Singh, the former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Odisha in 2019 and he retired after completing his term of five years.
Justice Nayak and Swain also retired after completing their tenure. With appointments into the vacancies yet to be made, the anti-corruption institution just has one member left in Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma who is now officiating as the acting chairperson. Though he looks after the administrative affairs, Lokayukta’s division bench proceedings are halted as it requires a minimum of two members, including a judicial member, to function.
The Lokayukta Odisha, as per the original constitution, is supposed to have a chairperson and five members. Of the five, two are supposed to be judicial members. However, the previous BJD government had appointed the chairperson, one judicial member and two other members.
The chairperson and members of Lokayukta are appointed by a selection committee headed by the chief minister. The members of the panel include Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, Leader of the Opposition and Speaker of the Assembly as well as an eminent personality nominated by the state government.
The Odisha Lokayukta Act 2014 provides for a search committee which recommends names suitable for the post of chairperson and members of the body. Sources said, the search committee was constituted earlier this year and it shortlisted candidates for the position of chairperson and members. The list was submitted to the selection committee which held a meeting to select the next Lokayukta chairperson and two members to replace the three retirees. However, as the model code of conduct came into force for the general elections, the process remained in a limbo.
“There is no clarity whether the state’s first BJP government will go ahead with the names selected by the then BJD government or will revisit the whole process once again,” said sources. The situation can get even more complicated as Lokayukta’s acting chairperson and its only member Dr Sharma is also scheduled to retire in August.
Headless
Lokayukta not in position to hear cases since April
The post of chairperson has been lying vacant since March
The institution is now left with just one member