In a significant development for West Bengal's anti-corruption framework, retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Rabindranath Samanta has been appointed as the state's new Lokayukta. The appointment was finalized on Monday during a meeting at the state secretariat, Nabanna.
Appointment Process and Key Attendees
The selection meeting was attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee. Notably, the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, did not participate in this crucial meeting. Justice Samanta's name was cleared, paving the way for him to assume the quasi-judicial office responsible for investigating graft allegations against public officials.
Currently serving as the chairperson of the West Bengal Real Estate Regulatory Authority (WBRERA) appellate tribunal, Justice Samanta will need to resign from this post before taking his new oath. A state official clarified that the assumption of charge is a two-step process: a formal notification must be issued first, followed by Justice Samanta's resignation from his current role. Only after his resignation is accepted can he be sworn in.
The Oath and Role of Lokayukta
The oath of office will be administered by Governor C V Ananda Bose. The Lokayukta institution, established under the Bengal Lokayukta Act of 2003, serves as a vital body to probe corruption complaints filed by citizens against public functionaries in the state. The Act has seen amendments in 2018 and 2023, which altered the appointment process and the qualifications for the office.
An official explained that the recent amendments have made the Chief Minister a part of the selection panel and also led to the removal of the Upa-Lokayukta (Deputy Lokayukta) post. Furthermore, the Chief Minister has been excluded from the Lokayukta's investigative purview, except in special cases requiring approval from the state assembly. The law also mandates that a Lokayukta cannot function beyond the age of 70 years.
A Look at Bengal's Lokayukta History
Justice Samanta will be the third person to hold this position in West Bengal. The state's first Lokayukta was Justice Samaresh Banerjee, who served between 2006 and 2009. He was succeeded by Justice Ashim Kumar Roy, another retired High Court judge, who took office in November 2018. Justice Roy was reappointed for a second term in May 2022. The state government moved to appoint Justice Samanta as Justice Roy's term has concluded.
In a related decision from the same meeting at Nabanna, the Chief Minister and the Speaker also decided to reappoint Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya as the chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. Justice Madhumati Mitra was reappointed as a member of the commission. Both will serve another term of three years.
