The Odisha lokayukta Bill, which was tabled in the State Assembly on Tuesday, has come under strong criticism from lawyers here. The Odisha lokayukta Abhijan, a body of lawyers here, has termed the Bill as “toothless” and “ineffective”.
The members of the Abhijan also questioned the motive of the Government for tabling the Bill in a hurry and attempting to pass it without being discussed among the public. Abhijan convenor Khirod Rout said the much-awaited Bill is bereft of all the provisions envisioned in the Jan lokpal Bill suggested by Anna Hazare.
“Although the State Government is claiming that its Bill has been prepared in the line of the Central Bill, the one tabled In the Assembly suffers from two vital lacunae,” Rout alleged. He said the very composition of the search committee to select the lokayukta is faulty and is not above suspicion. While the Chief Minister, Speaker, leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of Odisha High Court are the members of this committee, the fifth member would be a representative of the Governor and he should be preferably an experienced lawyer.
“The Chief Minister, Speaker and Governor’s representative are sure to work in tandem with the political party in power and it is very likely that the lokayukta appointed by this trio would be a puppet of the ruling party,” Rout said suggesting that the fifth member of the committee should also be endorsed by the four other members as is done in the Central lokayukta Bill.
Rout further questioned about the State Government’s silence over the State Vigilance Directorate in the Bill. “like the CBI, freeing itself from the clutches of the Central Government and getting independent, impartial and autonomous, the State Vigilance Directorate should also be freed from the Government control,” Rout said.