Bhubaneswar: Odisha will soon have a new Lokayukta as the appointment process has officially been set in motion, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed on Tuesday.
Speaking on the developments regarding the selection of the state’s anti-corruption ombudsman, Minister Pujari confirmed that the constitutional panel tasked with the appointment has convened its initial meeting. “Holding the meeting signifies that the process has begun, and once a process begins, it means it will reach its completion,” he said.
The Minister outlined the statutory mechanism governing the selection, emphasising that the decision rests with a three-member constitutional committee comprising the Chief Minister, the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, and the Leader of the Opposition. “Under the constitutional setup, the Chief Minister, the Assembly Speaker, and the Leader of the Opposition decide on the selection. The first meeting has taken place. The process functions on majority consensus, and we hope that in the coming days, Odisha will see a new Lokayukta,” he said.
Responding to opposition criticism over delays in appointing the Lokayukta, Pujari
Dismissing allegations from opposition parties regarding procedural delays, Pujari rejected the criticism by contrasting the current administration’s record with the previous regime’s 24-year tenure, maintaining that the government remains committed to completing statutory appointments expeditiously. “Two years out of power may feel like an eternity to the Opposition, but we have accomplished more in these two years than they managed in twenty-four years. What we will achieve in five years is something that the Opposition can’t even fathom,” he asserted.
