W.P.(C) No. 18746 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C) No. 18746 of 2023 (An application under Articles 226 & 227 of the Constitution of India) Dr. Biswanath Agrawala .…… Petitioner -Versus- Additional Secretary, Steel and Mines Dept. of Odisha, BBSR & Anr. ……. Opposite Parties Advocate(s) appeared in this case:- For Petitioner : Mr. A.Pal, Advocate For Opposite Parties : Mr. T.K.Dash, AGA CORAM : JUSTICE B.P. ROUTRAY JUDGMENT 7th April 2026 B.P. Routray,J. 1. Heard Mr. Pal, learned counsel for the Petitioner and Mr. Dash, learned AGA for the State. 2. The prayer of the Petitioner is for a direction to the Secretary of Steel and Mines Department, Govt. of Odisha to recommend his application for issuance of Secretariat Entry Pass in his favour. Digitally Signed Signed by: SANGRAM DAS Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 15-Apr-2026 11:32:17 Signature Not Verified W.P.(C) No. 18746 of 2023 Page 2 of 5 3. According to the averments of the Petitioner he is an entrepreneur and Director of M/s. BJSS Mines Pvt. Ltd. It is also submitted that the Petitioner is a lessee in respect of two mining lease. As per the Petitioner, he needs to visit Steel and Mines Department of Government of Odisha at frequent intervals to pursue his business concern for which a regular pass is required to get entry in the Secretariat. The Petitioner was earlier allowed unrestricted entry to the Secretariat building owning to his requirement of visiting different Departments of Government for official work. The earlier pass was granted in his favour on 28th March 2014. But after Covid pandemic the entry of the Petitioner to the Secretariat building has been restricted and his entry pass was not renewed further. 4. The Opposite Parties in Steel and Mines Department have filed their counter affidavit stating that the entry into the Secretariat building of Government of Odisha is governed by Odisha Secretariat Security Rules, 1993 and the case of the Petitioner is not required to be recommended to Home Department for issuance of entry pass as he is not required to come to the Departments of Government regularly. Further, now the Odisha Secretariat online entry pass service for visitors Digitally Signed Signed by: SANGRAM DAS Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 15-Apr-2026 11:32:17 Signature Not Verified W.P.(C) No. 18746 of 2023 Page 3 of 5 has come into force through which a visitor can seek entry into the Secretariat building for specific purpose. 5. As seen from the averments of the writ petition, the specific contention of the Petitioner is that he being the Director of M/s. BJSS Mines Pvt.Ltd. is having different works in the government at different time and he was earlier granted with entry pass by the Government which was stopped after Covid pandemic. The entire contention of the Petitioner is based on the fact that he being an entrepreneur is required to move the Government Department to pursue his work at different times. 6. The Odisha Secretariat Security Rules, 1993 governs the procedure for entry into the Secretariat building of Government of Odisha. The Secretariat building is now known as Loka Seva Bhawan and Kharavela Bhawan and it has restricted entry for visitors for the purpose of maintaining security. A visitor is permitted to come to different Government Departments situated at Secretariat building by obtaining online entry pass through E-Pravesh Portal. Rule 3 of the said 1993 Rules restricts the entry of visitors to such security zones in the Secretariat building without valid identity or admission card. Usually, the admission card is issued to officials and to persons for regular entry into the Secretariat building and a visitor pass is issued to other persons Digitally Signed Signed by: SANGRAM DAS Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 15-Apr-2026 11:32:17 Signature Not Verified W.P.(C) No. 18746 of 2023 Page 4 of 5 on requirement basis. Rule 60 of said Rules further prescribes that “it should be remembered that Admission Cards for non-official and private organizations should be recommended only when it is really necessary and not as a matter of routine. In normal circumstances they should avail the facility of visitors pass. The recommending authority should satisfy himself that the subject of his recommendation is not a security risk and his presence in the security zone is required strictly for official business and in public interest”. 7. As sated earlier, the Petitioner has not stated anything specific regarding his regular visit into the Secretariat building except for pursuing his official work concerning his business. Obviously for deposit of rent and other purposes, it is not required to move to the Government, whereas the Office of the Director of Mines is the competent authority in respect of mining business. Therefore, without finding any valid reason on the part of the Petitioner to regularly visit the Secretariat building his prayer to grant him a permanent entry pass cannot be considered as necessary. However, for the reasons he wants to visit the Government Departments of Secretariat building for specific purpose, he may apply for visitors pass accordingly through E-Pravesh Portal as and when necessary. It goes without saying that in such event, the authority will Digitally Signed Signed by: SANGRAM DAS Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 15-Apr-2026 11:32:17 Signature Not Verified W.P.(C) No. 18746 of 2023 Page 5 of 5 consider his prayer for entry into the Secretariat depending on the nature of work. 8. With aforesaid observations, the writ petition is disposed of. 9. Urgent certified copy of this order be granted on proper application. (B.P. Routray) Judge S.Das,Sr.Steno