Bedlam In Odisha Assembly Over Lokayukta Appointment

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned amid uproar by Opposition Congress and BJP members, who went into sloganeering mode accusing the state government of filing false affidavit in the Supreme Court on the appointment of Lokayukta and non-acceptance of the adjournment motion notice for a discussion on the autocratic rule of the chief minister.

As soon as the Question Hour session began, the Congress members rushed to the well of the house, protesting against the decision of Speaker Pradip Amat against an adjournment motion notice for a discussion on the topic, “The chief minister has no time for the governance of the state”. Besides, they also urged the Speaker to direct the chief minister to tender an unconditional apology in the House for filing a false affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the state government had appointed the Lokayukta as per its directive.

Unable to manage the situation, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 am. 

There was no change in the situation when the House was convened again and the Speaker had to adjourn it till 3 pm amid hullabaloo by Opposition members seeking a clarification from the chief minister on Lokayukta issue. Some of them even tried to climb onto the Speaker’s podium and snatch the microphone.

“As per the provisions in the Constitution, the Supreme Court cannot be criticised directly or indirectly. But the treasury bench has indirectly criticised the apex court. The Supreme Court being furnished wrong information cannot be discussed in the State Assembly under no circumstances as per the Rules of Business. Therefore, we demand a clarification to this effect in the House from the chief minister and also an unconditional apology from him,” Leader of the Opposition, Narasingha Mishra said.

Asserting that he has told the truth in the House, Mishra said “I will tender apology in the House if found guilty of furnishing wrong information. But will the chief minister resign if it is proved that the state government has told a lie? I know that the state government has no guts to challenge me.”

Supporting Mishra, BJP member Rabi Nayak also demanded an unconditional apology from the chief minister for misleading the apex court on the appointment of Lokayukta.

In his reaction, BJD member Dibyashankar Mishra said the Supreme Court has directed the state government for appointment of Lokayukta and accordingly, necessary steps will be taken in this regard.

Stating that Odisha is the first state in the country to have taken the initiative for the appointment of Lokayukta, he said the Opposition is trying to set a bad precedent by raking up this issue in the State Assembly and disrupting its normal functioning which is grossly unfortunate.

It may be recalled that the issues had cropped up during a discussion on the demand for grants of the Home department on Thursday. Initiating the debate, the Leader of the Opposition had alleged that the state government had submitted a false affidavit over the formation of Lokayukta in the Supreme Court. Referring to the apex court’s directive on April 12, 2018, to file an affidavit to implement the Act, Mishra said he came to know after perusing the affidavit filed by the state government that the Lokayukta Act has been implemented since January 16, 2015, and rules are under preparation.