Odisha Civil Liberty Forum (OCLF)

OCLF was conceived and founded in the year 1998-99 by Sh.Merusagar Samantray i.e the Chairman on the basis of field study of 20 odd vilages conducted by him & his team of Bandalo Village & 4 Other Panchayats in Badachana Revenue Block of Jajpur District of Odisha .

Odisha Civil Libery Forum (OCLF) is a registered Organization, (Regn. No. 21165/2000-01) working in the state of Odisha since 1999. It has its organizational setup at the district level. The aims and objectives of OCLF is basically to impart constitutional and legal awareness. Its programs and activities are also meant to empower the general public by educating them about their rights and duties.

OCLF has conducted a number of programs including seminars and workshops on various constitutional and other statutory acts including awareness about constitutional duties, RTI Act, anti-corruption drives, FIR registration awareness and training, forest laws, etc. The Organization has conducted welfare and reformative programs in various jails of Orissa. It has conducted numerous programs in educational institutions among students of schools and colleges. OCLF has organised Constitutional literacy program and has distributed 2000 copies of the Constitution of India among students and interested citizens. It has created sensitisation programs at the Panchayat level for grass root political awareness and dissemination of knowledge and benefits of various govt. welfare schemes among deprived sections of the society and women in particular. The Organization has been extended active support and cooperation by various govt. agencies, constitutional authorities and individuals.

In the last 25 years, the activities of the Organization have received active support and cooperation from many resourceful individuals who are authorities in their respective fields. To give a perspective to the participation, a few names will be illustrated:
1. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat – Retired Judge Supreme Court of India
2. Justice A.K. Patnaik – Retired Judge Supreme Court of India
3. Shri Soli Sorabjee – Former Attorney General for India
4. Shri K.K. Venugopal – Former Attorney General for India
5. Shri Tushar Mehta – Solicitor General of India
6. Justice L. Mohapatra – Retired Chief Justice of Manipur High Court
7. Justice B.P. Das – Retired Judge
8. Shri Y.B. Khurania – IPS
9. Shri Y.K. Jethwa – IPS
10. Shri Arun Bothra – IPS
11. Shri Amitabh Thakur – IPS
12. Shri Sanjay Kaushal – IPS
13. Shri.C. Nanda – IPS, former DGP of Orissa
14. Shri R.P. Sharma – IPS, former DGP of Orissa
15. Shri V. Thiagarajan – IPS

The Organization had carried out a field program for awareness and compliance of D.K. Basu ( 1997) guidelines in the police stations of Orissa. This program was supported by the DGP, Orissa, vide memo no. 5643/Con. dated 23/12/2004.

Similarly, the Organization had been issued administrative permission to carry out various welfare and reformative programs in the jails of Orissa vide memo no. 6646 dated 28/02/2007 issued under the orders of IG of prisons and DCS Orissa. The activities include health and sanitation programs for inmates, vocational programs, postal help desk etc. The Organization had supplied criminal manuals to various police stations of Orissa in a phased manner. Programs like dinning and kitchen floor renovation, drinking water, health check ups and para legal awareness were conducted in jails of Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Baripada and Dhenkanal.

The Organization is currently working on its silver jubilee year and intends to organize programs and activities all across the state involving all sections of the people. The members of the Organization wish to carry forth the objective of the Organization “Ensuring citizens dignity” to the last man of the society. The Organization has addressed numerous issues of affected individuals while facilitating their complaints and grievances and coordinating with authorities including judicial forums.

The strength of the Organization is its members and beneficiaries. The Organisation has not availed or applied for any govt. grants or aid, though statutorily registered and having PAN number. The dignity of the Organization and its credibility are the strength of the members of the Organization. .

The motto of the Organization is " Ensuring Citizens Dignity ".