Odisha Govt Reconstitutes State Law Commission, Appoints Justice Biswanath Rath As Chairperson

The State Government has reconstituted the Odisha State Law Commission (OSLC) in pursuant to the resolution of the Government of Odisha in the Law Department published in the State Gazette in March, 2016.

Justice Biswanath Rath, former Judge of the Orissa High Court has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Commission. Senior Advocates Surya Prasad Mishra and Soura Chandra Mohapatra have also been included in the panel as members. Pitambar Acharya, Advocate General and Manas Ranjan Barik, Principal Secretary to Government (Law Department) shall act as ex-officio members.

The Commission shall have its headquarters in the capital city of Bhubaneswar. As per the 2016 resolution, the terms of office of the Chairperson as well as other full-time non-official members shall be for a period not exceeding three years from the date of assuming office or till they attain the age of seventy, whichever is earlier.

The primary functions of the Commission shall be to review the existing State laws as well as the laws pertaining to the State in the concurrent list, examine the necessity of continuance of the same and recommend withdrawal, substitution and modification, either in part or as whole.