Bhubaneswar : The Lokayukta of Odisha has suggested bringing Directorate of Vigilance under its purview asserting that it will enhance the trust and credibility of Lokayukta and Vigilance amongst the people of Odisha and will also substantially improve the functioning of both Lokayukta and Vigilance.
In its First Annual Report released today, the Lokayukta cited that the Odisha Lokayukta (Procedure of filing Complaint) Rules, 2019, The Odisha Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2019 and The Odisha Lokayukta (Appointment and conditions of service of Secretary, Officers and staff) Regulations-2019 are pending consideration with the State Government since long.
These Rules and Regulations be immediately notified for the effective functioning of the Lokayukta, it added.
The Lokayukta also sought the appointment of two legal experts to improve its functioning as, during the course of hearing, the assistance of legal experts is being regularly felt for explaining various welfare schemes of the State Government as well as instructions and guidelines pertaining to the implementation of schemes plus other related legal issues.
It also asked the Government to issue an advisory to all the Departmental Heads and other offices to promptly respond to the notices/instructions issued from the Lokayukta as though the Lokayukta may require any public servant to furnish information or produce documents relevant to preliminary inquiry or investigation under Section 22 of the Odisha Lokayukta Act and can utilize the services of any officer or organization or investigating agency of the Government under Section 28 of the Act, the experience so far shows that sometimes, the Government officials do not respond to the notices issued from the Lokayukta, even though the proceedings before the Lokayukta are deemed to be judicial proceeding within the meaning of Section 193 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
The Lokayukta further proposed that separate land of two acres with a building of 15,000 sq.ft. be provided for the proper functioning of its office which now functions from a multi-storied building at Toshali Bhawan, Bhubaneswar. The said building is also the house of various other Government Offices e.g. Odisha Human Rights Commission, State Election Commission, Odisha, Odisha State Commission for Women, Odisha Information Commission, etc.
The office of Lokayukta has been allotted three floors in the said building where various departments/sections e.g. Court Section, Accounts Section, Office Section, etc. are spread.
Very recently, the Government of Odisha has been pleased to create 150 posts of different cadres for the establishment of Lokayukta and in the event of the appointment of all the staff against those newly created posts, which is very likely to be carried out within a short period, the office space for the establishment of Lokayukta will be highly inadequate, it added.