BHUBANESWAR: Starting April 1, the state forensic science services organisation will move to the administrative control of the Home department as the Odisha government has decided to delink it from the state police.
The decision is aimed at strengthening the overall criminal justice delivery system in the state by enhancing functioning of forensic labs and keeping them independent of investigation agencies.
A notification said, the state forensic science services organisation, including the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), regional forensic science laboratories (RFSLs) and district forensic science laboratories (DFSLs) will function under the control of the Home department from next financial year. SFSL in Bhubaneswar’s Rasulgarh has been designated as its headquarters.
As per the notification, the state forensic science services organisation will be headed by a director who will either be appointed from the senior administrative service, state forensic science services organisation or be a senior forensic expert from a reputed organisation as decided by the government. Currently, IPS officers head the SFSL.
In the new set-up, the SFSL director will be the controlling officer of all the forensic science laboratories under the state forensic science services organisation for all purposes, said the Home department.
The director will report to Home secretary on all relevant issues including recruitment, promotion, service conditions, procurement, reports, returns or any other subject which require approval of the higher authority or the government.
The decision to delink the forensic organisation from the state police comes in wake of an advice by the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Human Rights Commission core committee to consider reporting of SFSL directly under the Home department of the state.
“After due deliberation, the government has decided to delink the state forensic science services organisation from the police administration and to bring it under the direct administrative control of the Home department, thereby ensuring its independence from the investigation agencies,” the notification added.
The current budget for SFSL will continue in financial year 2025-2026. The existing mechanism for day-to-day business and functioning will also continue till the creation of the new controlling officer code in consultation with the Finance department and accountant general in the next financial year.