Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik headed Lokayukta selection committee today recommended two names to Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal for his approval.
Panel member Narasingha Mishra, who attended the panel’s meeting at State Guest House this evening, informed that the committee has unanimously finalized names of two members – one judicial and another non-judicial – out of five.
Notably, former Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court Ajit Singh was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Odisha.
A seven-member search committee — formed in December 2018 under the chairmanship of justice Amitava Roy – had suggested five names for the post of the Lokayukta chairperson and three names each for the five members in its report to the Chief Minister-led panel on January 9.
The committee had former Odisha DGP Gopal Nanda, ex-IAS officer Sanjiv Hota, former IAS officer Dr RN Bohidar, Dr Bidhu Bhusan Samal, Prof Snigdha Patnaik of XIMB and Vice Chancellor of National Law University, Bangalore, Dr Venkata Rao Rambhatla as its members.
It is worthwhile mention here that, Odisha was the first state in the country which passed the Lokayukta Bill on February 14, 2014, after the Lokpal Bill was cleared by Parliament in December, 2013.
The office of the anti-corruption watchdog will start functioning from April 8.
Also Read: JEE Advanced Exam 2019 Postponed Due To Lok Sabha Election
Ms Kalinga