The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Odisha unit, which was launched March 16, has selected a two-member lokpal to ensure transparency in the organisation and its political process. Dhiren K Roy and Prof Basanta Pati have agreed to function as the internal lokpal of the party, said an AAP Press release here on Sunday.
Roy is a well-known personality of the civil society working for people’s causes. He was a member of the Revenue Service and served with distinction in and outside of India. On retirement, he became the founding Chairman of the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission and then MD of the Kalinga Hospital.
Dr Pati is a senior well-known practising gynaecologist serving at the SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar. He has been associated with many noble social issues and organisations.
The AAP, which was born out of the agitation for Jan lokpal under the leadership of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal has committed itself to complete transparent governance. As a result, the party is committed to complete corruption free organisation by adopting the lokpal process and set an example. The constitution of the party provides itself with independent lokpal at district, state and national level. Eminent persons from civil society, judicial and police background are expected to act as lokpals and address complaints about any member of the party holding a membership of the executive at appropriate level.
With the formation of the State-level lokpal, the AAP has invited any member of the public to bring any complaint against any officer-bearer of the party’s State unit. The detailed procedure of the lokpal is available on the party website. Once a written complaint is received with supporting documents, the lokpal would investigate it and give their verdict in a time-bound manner. The verdict would be considered final and binding.
The lokpal members were introduced at a meeting of the party here on Sunday being attended by executive members from 18 districts and party national treasurer Krushnakant Seveda (Sanjji). The detailed financial and accounting transparency procedures were also discussed at the meeting.