Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Lokayukta wants the state’s Directorate of Vigilance brought under it to enhance the trust in and credibility of both the Lokayukta and the Vigilance department, and substantially improve their functioning.
Former Justice Ajit Singh, who chairs the anti-corruption ombudsman in the state, has made this recommendation in the Lokayukta’s first annual meeting after a new 2014 Act. He has also asked for greater cooperation from officials.
Justice Singh, who served as the chief justice of the high court of Guwahati before his retirement, was appointed Lokayukta in March last year, five years after the state enacted a Lokayukta law.
The Lokayukta’s suggestion has been endorsed by former Supreme Court Justice A.K. Patnaik, who has written the foreword to this report. Justice Patnaik argues that agencies currently entrusted with investigations may not be impartial and may also delay the investigation. “Putting the Directorate of Vigilance under the Odisha Lokayukta will also ensure that investigation into corruption cases are more speedy, credible and free from political influences,” he says.
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The report also notes that “sometimes Government officials do not respond to the notices issued from the Lokayukta, even though the proceedings before the Lokayukta are deemed to be judicial proceeding within the meaning of Section 193 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.” A government advisory be sent to all the Departmental Heads and other offices to promptly respond to the Lokayukta, suggest Justice Singh.
The ombudsman is currently investigating allegations of graft against senior officials in Naveen Patnaik’s government engaged in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and masks for the treatment of COVID-19. According to the complainant, an activist and Congressman Sudarshan Das, the officials concerned had failed to respond to the Lokayukta’s notices and did not turn up at the last hearing.
Though it has been 17 months since the Lokayukta’s appointments, the state is yet to notify procedures and rules. The Odisha Lokayukta (Procedure of Filing Complaint) Rules, 2019, the Odisha Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2019 and the Odisha Lokayukta (Appointment and conditions of service of Secretary, Officers and staff) Regulations-2019 are pending before the state government and need to be immediately notified for the effective functioning of the Lokayukta, says the report.
The agency could also do with two full-time legal experts and an office of its own considering that 150 new posts have been created. It currently operates from three floors of the Toshali Bhawan, which Justice Singh believes will prove inadequate once these posts are filled.