Bhubaneswar: Meeting the three-month deadline set by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the State Assembly on Friday passed the Odisha Lokayukta Bill, 2014 with provision of keeping Chief Minister, ex-Chief Ministers, other ministers and public servants under the purview of a 6-member anti-corruption panel.
The Bill, introduced in the Assembly on February 12, was unanimously passed after a two-day discussion. The Bill has provisions similar to that of the Central Act which was passed in Parliament in December, 2013.
"With the passage of the Bill, Odisha became the first state to enact the law after the central act was passed in Parliament," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das, who piloted the Bill on behalf of Chief Minister.
Patnaik had earlier announced that the state government will ensure passage of the bill within 90 days of the Central Act. With passage of the bill, Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 1995 stood repealed.
Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat had yesterday extended the ongoing session of the Assembly by one day for passing of this bill. Of the total 60 clauses, only five amendments were accepted by the government before it was passed.
"I am not sure whether this Bill can completely eradicate corruption from the state. But, it will certainly help to curb the corrupt practice to a great extent," the minister said.
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