Bhubaneswar:
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik on Friday wrote to
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asking him to facilitate a full public debate on
the proposed Lokayukta Bill. While welcoming the “belated announcement” to
enact Lokayukta legislation in Odisha, Pattnaik said that such a Lokayukta had
to be created within one year as mandated by the Lokpal Act that has been made
a reality by the Central Government and the State Government hardly has any
choice. But, before the Bill is introduced in the floor of the Assembly the
same should be kept in the public domain for informed debate on its provisions.
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik on Friday wrote to
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asking him to facilitate a full public debate on
the proposed Lokayukta Bill. While welcoming the “belated announcement” to
enact Lokayukta legislation in Odisha, Pattnaik said that such a Lokayukta had
to be created within one year as mandated by the Lokpal Act that has been made
a reality by the Central Government and the State Government hardly has any
choice. But, before the Bill is introduced in the floor of the Assembly the
same should be kept in the public domain for informed debate on its provisions.
“After going through the Odisha Police Bill, 2013, which has
been introduced in the state Legislature by you there is well-founded
apprehension that the Lokayukta Bill may turn out to be another eye-wash like
the Police Bill and you may try to bulldoze the Bill through the legislature
without adequate public debate by taking advantage of the brut majority that
your Party enjoys in the State Assembly,” said Patnaik in a letter to the CM.
been introduced in the state Legislature by you there is well-founded
apprehension that the Lokayukta Bill may turn out to be another eye-wash like
the Police Bill and you may try to bulldoze the Bill through the legislature
without adequate public debate by taking advantage of the brut majority that
your Party enjoys in the State Assembly,” said Patnaik in a letter to the CM.
The former Minister also suggested to bring the State Vigilance under the purview of Lokayukt.