Bijay Patnaik resigns as member of Odisha rights panel
Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Apr 25:
In a decision that took many by surprise, former chief secretary Bijay Patnaik has resigned from the post of member, Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) citing ‘personal grounds’.
Sources said Patnaik sent his resignation to Governor SC Jamir on April 20 for acceptance citing ‘personal reasons’ for his resignation.
After retiring from the post of chief secretary, Patnaik was first appointed chairman of the Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) and then as member Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) in July last year.
Sources close to the development said Patnaik is tipped to be the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of the state.
The post of CIC is lying vacant since Tarun Kanti Mishra resigned from the post on February 11 – six months ahead of the end of his term – citing ‘personal reasons’.
Presently, Pramod Kumar Mohanty, the lone commissioner, who is holding charge of the CIC, will retire on 27th of this month.
About 4,000 cases are pending adjudication at the commission the incumbent commissioner does not appear too keen to take up cases because of his imminent retirement.
As a result, cases are piling up with each passing day and the commission has literally become defunct for all practical purposes.
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