Orissa high court lens on delay in filling up vacancies in state Lokayukta

Cuttack: Orissa high court on Thursday sought a reply from the govt over prolonged delay in filling up vacancies in Odisha Lokayukta, which has been non-functional since Aug 8, 2024 following the retirement of its chairperson and three members after completion of their five-year terms.According to a PIL filed by advocate Prabir Kumar Das, the chairperson, a judicial member and two other members retired on March 19 and 30, April 3 and Aug 7, 2024, respectively. As per Section 6 of the Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014, the governor is required to initiate the process of appointment at least three months prior to the expiry of the tenure.Taking serious note of the issue, the division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M S Raman directed the govt to file an affidavit within two weeks outlining steps taken to fill the vacancies.

The petitioner was given a week thereafter to file a rejoinder. The matter will be heard again after three weeks.Das, who appeared in person, submitted RTI data indicating that 444 cases were registered in 2024, of which only 149 were disposed of. In 2025, 83 cases were registered up to May 31, but all remain pending due to the absence of a functioning bench.Odisha Lokayukta was constituted on Feb 28, 2019. “The Lokayukta was created to investigate corruption charges against public functionaries. Its effective functioning is vital for promoting transparency and accountability in governance,” Das contended.