Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the world-famous Puri Ratha Yatra, the Odisha government on Tuesday appointed 23 senior officers as Executive Magistrates to strengthen law and order and ensure the smooth conduct of the annual festival.
The General Administration and Public Grievance Department issued a notification appointing the officers under Section 14(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. They will function as Executive Magistrates within the local limits of Puri district from June 30 to July 27, 2026.
The officers had already been deployed to Puri as Officers on Special Duty for Ratha Yatra 2026. Their appointment as Executive Magistrates is aimed at enhancing administrative coordination, crowd management and public safety during the festival, which attracts lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad.
The appointed officers include senior OAS officials serving as Special Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Directors, Managing Directors, Commissioners and Land Officers across various government departments and organisations.
They have been drawn from departments including Health and Family Welfare, Housing and Urban Development, Works, Excise, Commerce and Transport, Tourism, Mission Shakti, Sports and Youth Services, besides agencies such as the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Odisha State Seeds Corporation, IDCO, and district administrations.
According to the notification, the Executive Magistrates will exercise their powers within Puri district throughout the notified period to support the overall management of Ratha Yatra 2026 and ensure seamless coordination during one of Odisha’s biggest religious events.
