Logjam Continues In Odisha Assembly Over Lokayukta Appointment

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned till 3 pm on Saturday as stalemate over the appointment of Lokayukta continued for the second consecutive day.

As soon as the Question Hour began, 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.

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, Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra had alleged that the state government has submitted a false affidavit over the formation of Lokayukta in the Supreme Court. Referring to the Supreme 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.