Lawyers' body terms Lokayukta Bill 'toothless'

The Odisha Lokayukta Bill-2014, which was introduced in the state Assembly today, has come under strong criticism from the lawyers here.
The Odisha Lokayukta Abhijan, a body of lawyers here has termed the Bill as "toothless" and "ineffective".
Members of Abhijan have also questioned the state government's motive behind tabling it in a hurry and attempting to pass it without being discussed among the public and intellectuals.
Speaking to reporters here, Abhijan convenor Khirod Rout said the Lokayukta Bill tabled by the state government was bereft of provisions envisioned in the Jan Lokpal Bill suggested by Anna Hazare.
"Although the state government is claiming that the Bill has been prepared on the lines of the central Bill, yet it suffers from two vital lacunas," Rout alleged.

He said the very composition of the search committee to select the Lokayukta is faulty and is not above suspicion.

"The Chief Minister, the Speaker and the Governor's representative are sure to work in tandem with the political party in power and it is very likely that the Lokayukta appointed by this trio will be a puppet of the ruling party," Rout said suggesting that the fifth member of the committee should also be endorsed by the other four members as is done in the central Lokayukta Bill.
Rout also questioned the state government's silence over the state vigilance directorate in the Lokayukta Bill.

"Like the CBI, the state vigilance directorate should be free from government control," he said, adding the state vigilance, which was a wing of the state police and functioning under the direct control of the Chief Minister, would not be able to function independently as the enforcement wing of the Lokayukta.
Instead, the vigilance directorate should function after having its own staff and headed by a Director, who should be selected by a committee comprising the Chief Minister, the Speaker and the Leader of Opposition, suggested Abhijan members.