Primacy of Views IV: The Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014

Posted on by Rudrajyoti Nath Ray

Division Bench of High Court set aside an Order of Odisha Lokayukta, in exercise of power conferred under Section 20(1) of The Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014, to initiate a preliminary inquiry on a complaint received from Mr. Ranjan Kumar Das [Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Cell Unit, Bhubaneswar] indicating alleged corruption of Dr. Pradip Kumar Panigrahi [Member, Legislative Assembly, Gopalpur Constituency].  

Division Bench of High Court has committed a manifest error in violation of Principles of Natural Justice. In deciding question of bias, we have to take into consideration human probabilities and ordinary course of human conduct [A.K. Kraipak v. Union of India, (1969) 2 SCC 262; Ashok Kumar Yadav v. State of Haryana, (1985) 4 SCC 417]. In our view, principles of bias, even remotely, are not attracted in facts and circumstances of present case.

– Hon’ble Justice Ajay Rastogi, Office of Odisha Lokayukta v. Dr. Pradip Kumar Panigrahi, [Special Leave Petition No. 6261­-6262 of 2021].

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