Bhubaneswar: The failure of the Naveen Patnaik government to appoint a Lokayukta, despite having passed a model law for the office of the ombudsman four years ago, provided ammunition to the Opposition, which blocked proceedings at the Assembly on Monday morning.

The Congress forced three adjournments over the issue during the day and later both the Congress and the BJP separately walked out of the House accusing the government of "promoting corruption in high places".

Odisha was the first state to pass the Lokaykta law in February 2014 on the lines of the Lok Pal bill passed by Parliament. Although it has received the nod of the President, the state government is yet to notify the new law resulting in the post lying vacant for the past four years. The proposed Lokayukta is empowered to probe into charges of corruption in high offices including the chief minister and the council of ministers.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra on Monday raised the issue in the Assembly and urged the Speaker to direct the chief minister to make a statement on it. His slogan-shouting party colleagues rushed to the well demanding a direction from the chair. This forced the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings thrice in the course of the day. The uproarious scenes prevailed in the House till the Congress and BJP members staged a walk out.

"Odisha was the first state to pass the Lok Aykuta Bill. The chief minister had announced that the Lokayukta would be appointed in the state within six months. But the appointment has not been made even though four years have passed," said Mishra.

"The old Lokpal Act is still in force in the state, as the Lokayukta law has not been enforced. The government has not appointed the ombudsman after Lok Pal Justice Prasanna Kumar Patra died in office on January 22, 2013. People are not able to file corruption cases against those at high places - ministers and babus," pointed out former law minister Mishra.

He said the central government had constituted a committee to select a Lok Pal. "But the state government has done nothing in this regard. It seems that the chief minister is scared to face corruption charges in high office. He has already admitted that corruption at the grassroots level is rampant," said the Opposition leader.