Baripada: “Lokayukta has been formed to eliminate corruption in the state. People of Odisha can come out with their complaints on corruption and irregularities to Lokayukta. People should open their mouth against corruption without fear and they will be protected,” said Ajit Singh, the chairperson of Lokayukta here Saturday.
Singh said this while addressing a press meet at the conference hall of the divisional forest officer in Baripada.
Lokayukta chief came to Mayurbhanj on a visit and took part in an awareness programme at Saheed Smruti Bhawan.
He added that if any complaint is lodged with Lokyukta, it will be probed within 60 days and its report will be submitted to court.
“The court will come out with its verdicts in six months. People should rely on Lokyukta and send their complaints by post to it,” he added.
Even steps are being taken to receive complaints online, he added, revealing that since the Lokayukta was formed, it has received 267 complaints.
Notably, awareness programmes about Lokayukta have been conducted in Sambalpur and Mayurbhanj.
The programme was attended by district sessions judge Sanjay Ranjan Bohidar, SP Abinash Kumar, members of Lokayukta Birakishore Nayak and Dr Debendra Swain. They spoke on various aspects of the Lokayukta Act-2014.
It may be recalled here that, Singh, a former Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court, was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Odisha following the Governor’s approval March 3.
Notably, Odisha was the first state to pass the Lokayukta Bill February 14, 2014, after the Lokpal Bill was cleared by Parliament in December, 2013.
PNN