Odisha government agrees to clarify on Lokayukta

The two-day long stalemate over the appointment of Lokayukta in Odisha Assembly ended today after the state government agreed to clarify on the controversy relating to submission of alleged fake affidavit in the Supreme Court.

The proceedings of the House were affected for two consecutive days as the Opposition Congress and BJP accused the state government of submitting a fake affidavit stating that the Lokayukta Act has been implemented in the state since 2015.

The Opposition had been demanding a clarification from the government along with a copy of the notification in regard to the enforcement of the Odisha Lokayukta Act.

Normalcy returned to the House after an all-party meeting following back-to-back adjournments in the pre-lunch and post lunch sessions today.

"The government will examine and inform the House in this regard," Parliamentary Affairs Minister B K Arukha told the Assembly after the all-party meeting convened by Speaker P K Amat.

Government Chief Whip Amar Prasad Satpathy said all should respect the Supreme Court judgement. "I have highest regard for the Supreme Court," Satpathy said.

Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress, who had been demanding a clarification from the state government on the alleged fake affidavit, also pointed out that two newspapers have published news items saying that the government will file a revised affidavit in the apex court.

"I feel the government should examine the news items and clarify its stand in the House on the matter," Mishra said.

Earlier, the House was adjourned five times.

As soon as the Question Hour began at 10.30 am, the Opposition Congress and BJP members rushed to the well of the House urging deputy speaker Sananda Marandi to give a ruling on clarification and unconditional apology by the chief minister for filing a false affidavit in the Supreme Court on appointment of Lokayukta in the state.

The Opposition had been alleging that the affidavit filed by the state government in the Supreme Court on the appointment of Lokayukta is false.

Raking up the issue, the Opposition members had reiterated that since the chief minister is in charge of the Home portfolio, he should come up with a clarification to this effect.

The House later discussed on the budget demand of industries department.