Odisha Lokayukta has registered 272 cases in 2020

Kendrapara: The Odisha Lokayukta has registered 272 cases this year of which 56 have been disposed of till now, according to its chairman Justice Ajit Singh.

He urged people to directly approach the Lokayukta with complaints of corruption against any public servant. “In 2020, we registered 272 cases of which 56 have been disposed of as of now,” the Lokayukta chairman said here.

The Lokayukta had received 1,418 complaints against corruption in the year 2019 of which 166 cases have been disposed of, he said on Saturday. Twenty-nine cases of erstwhile Lokpals are pending for disposal and 1,223 cases involving personal grievances have been transferred to the state government under the Odisha Lokayukta Act.

Singh called upon the people to come forward to fight corruption and alleged corrupt practices are being perpetrated by influential and powerful people.

“It’s the people who have to don the mantle of whistleblowers. They have to fearlessly knock at the doors of Lokayukta and lodge complaint against bureaucrats, officers, ministers or lawmakers. They will be accorded due protection by law,” he said.

“We are encouraging the public to raise their voices against corrupt public servants and NGOs”, the Lokayukta chairman said.

“All public servants including the chief minister, MPs, MLAs and other public representatives come under the purview of Lokayukta. Complaints lodged against them will be duly dealt with in accordance with the Lokayukta law,” he said.

The Odisha Lokayukta Act came into effect from July 7, 2018, and the Lokayukta was established on February 28, 2019, to enquire into allegations of corruption against certain public functionaries.

Justice Singh joined the office as the first chairperson of Odisha Lokayukta on March 20, 2019.

(PTI)