Bhubaneswar, June 14: Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra today urged chief minister Naveen Patnaik to immediately enforce the Odisha Lokayukta Act if he was sincere about eradicating corruption. The act came into existence two years ago.
"To convince people that you are really serious, you should take immediate steps to enforce the act which has already received the assent of the President of India and is awaiting government notification for implementation. So long as the notification is not issued, the act will not come into force," said Mishra in a letter to the chief minister.
"So long the step is not taken, there is every reason for people to think that your call for abolition of the percentage system is a political slogan and lacks political will," said Mishra.
The Odisha Lokayukta Bill for establishment of a lokayukta in the state by repealing the Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 1955, was passed by the Assembly on February 14, 2014.
The bill received the nod of President Pranab Mukherjee in January the next year. However, the law has not come into force because a formal notification is yet to be issued.
At present, no watchdog on corruption at high places exists as the Lokpal institution has been abolished with the enactment of lokayukta law.
The objective of establishing a lokayukta is to inquire into corruption charges against certain public functionaries including chief minister, ministers, MLAs, officers and employees of the state government.
With the abolition of Lokpal, every inquiry, investigation and other proceedings relating to allegation of corruption pending under the act, stand transferred to the lokayukta immediately.
"It is abnormally delayed. I hope you will take immediate steps for appointment of a lokayukta in Odisha who can deal corruption matters," said Mishra, a former law minister.
"Your move to abolish PC (percentage system) in government offices will be welcomed if your are really serious in the matter. All blocks in the state are dens of corruption where the PC system is rampant. No file moves without payment," said Mishra.
