Odisha Govt Names Babita Patra as New Child Rights Commission Chief

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Tuesday appointed Babita Patra as the new Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR).

Patra, who hails from Mayur Vihar in Berhampur, will serve a term of three years from the date she assumes office or until she reaches the age of 65, whichever is earlier, as per the notification issued by the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department.

The government has also reconstituted the Commission by appointing six new members, who will hold office for a term of three years or until they turn 60 years old, whichever comes first.

The newly inducted members are: Sukeshi Oram, Kalpana Lenka, Chandana Das, Kasturi Mishra, Manasmita Khuntia, Sujata Nayak.

The appointments come in the wake of the government’s March 2025 decision to dismiss the then Chairperson Mandakini Kar and five other members — Sasmita Nanda, Ruby Vishal, Susri Jalina Priyadarshini, Chhabi Mahali, and Anita Behera — over alleged misconduct.

The previous members were issued a show-cause notice on November 16, 2024, which they subsequently challenged in the Orissa High Court. However, their petition was dismissed, paving the way for their removal and the formation of a new Commission.

The OSCPCR is responsible for monitoring and safeguarding child rights in Odisha. With a new leadership team in place, the Commission is expected to strengthen child welfare initiatives across the state.