Odisha Lokayukta to be functional by April 8

The Odisha government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the Lokayukta in the state will start functioning by April 8 this year.

The process of appointing the Lokayukta will be completed by March 31 and it will start functioning by April 8, informed the state government in an affidavit.

Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said: "The state government has filed an affidavit before the apex court informing that the Lokayukta appointment process will be completed by April 8."

Padhi deposed before a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi over the appointment of the Lokayukta.

Odisha Advocate General Surya Prasad Misra said the selection committee of the Lokayukta will meet on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Opposition leader Narasingh Mishra, Assembly Speaker Pradip Amat, Chief Justice of Orissa High Court K.S. Jhaveri and former Supreme Court judge Ananga Patnaik will be present, said sources.

Last year in December, the Odisha government had constituted a seven-member search committee headed by Justice Amitabh Ray to recommend names for the selection.

Odisha was the first state to pass the Lokayukta Bill in the Assembly in February 2014. However, the state government had not taken any step to make it functional.

--IANS

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