The Odisha government would urge the Supreme Court to modify its April 19 order on the appointment of the Lokayukta in the state, the Assembly was
informed today.
The Supreme Court, in its order, had said the state in an affidavit submitted earlier that the Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014 has come into force with effect from January 16, 2015 and presently steps for framing of the Odisha Search Committee Rules were under process.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister B K Arukha told the Assembly that the state government would move the apex court, seeking a modification of the order as it had not filed any such affidavit to the court.
Arukha's statement followed Speaker P K Amat's ruling to the state government to give a statement on the issue.
The speaker had given the ruling after the opposition Congress and the BJP stalled the House for two days, accusing the state's BJD government of filing a fake affidavit in the Supreme Court, saying that the Odisha Lokayukta Act has come into the force from 2015.
However, the state government has denied the accusation and maintained that it had not filed any such affidavit.
Stating that the Assembly had passed the Odisha Lokayukta Bill, 2014 on February 14, 2014, the minister said the Bill got the presidential assent on January 16, 2015.
After receipt of the presidential assent, other formalities such as various Rules are under process, Arukha said.
"After completion of the formalities, a suitable date is required to be fixed by the government in order to bring the Act into force," the minister said in the statement.
Arukha said, "An affidavit, sworn by the chief secretary on April 9, 2018, containing the above facts, has been filed in the Supreme Court of India. In the said affidavit, it is no where stated that the Act has come into force.
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