Simply Put: Lokpal -Governance Now

Simply Put: Lokpal

After the appointment of PC Ghose, a retired supreme court judge, as the chairman of the Lokpal, how will the ombudsman function now?

GN Bureau | April 4, 2019

#PC Ghose #Arvind Kejriwal #Lokpal #ombudsman

Illustration: Ashish Asthana

After the appointment of PC Ghose, a retired supreme court judge, as the chairman of the Lokpal, how will the ombudsman function now?

Selection of other members

The selection committee will now choose Lokpal’s eight other members. At least 50 percent of the other members shall be judicial members (judges of the SC and chief justices of the high court). A non-judicial member is required to have 25 years of experience in anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance or law.

Also Read: A citizen's guide to using lokpal

What is the role of Lokpal?

Lokpal is an independent body to look into cases of corruption. It empowers citizens to complain to the lokpal against corruption by public officials. It can inquire into complaints filed within seven years of the commission of an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Who are the officials under its jurisdiction?

The prime minister, once he has demitted office
Union ministers
Members of parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha)
Group ‘A’ officers and persons of equivalent ranks in public sector undertakings and other government bodies
Officers of organisations having an annual income above a specified amount receiving funds from the government or donations from the public. For example, Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, etc.

Types of offences under Lokpal

Complaints can be made regarding acts of corruption that are covered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. These include acts that amount to corrupt practices and misuse of power by public officials.

Investigating and prosecuting a public official for corruption

Lokpal has two wings – investigation and prosecution. If the Lokpal is of the view that the public official committed a corrupt act, it can either order a more detailed investigation or initiate departmental proceedings against him or file a charge-sheet or closure report before the court. The preliminary investigation must be completed within a month, though the time limit may be extended by three months. If the Lokpal finds that an offence was committed, its prosecution wing may file a case in the special court and send the report to the competent authority.

(The article appears in April 15, 2019 edition)

Comments

Other News

New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific strategy enters a new phase

India appears to be investing fresh dynamism in its Indo-Pacific strategy. At the time when the US, under president Donald Trump, has adopted a conciliatory approach towards China and has changed the name of America’s Indo-Pacific Command to just Pacific Command, India has quietly moved towards con

CAG flags major fiscal lapses in Maharashtra

Maharashtra`s fiscal management has come under sharp scrutiny after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its State Finances Audit Report for 2024-25, flagged significant budgetary inefficiencies, accounting irregularities, understatement of key fiscal indicators and widespread governanc

The health sector research we are not doing

Some neglect is loud. This kind is quiet. It sits in research never commissioned, data never collected, questions never asked. In South Asia, that quiet has let the region’s worst health problems stay understudied, underfunded, and out of sight of those who could act.

Study flags accessibility and last-mile challenges on Mumbai Metro Aqua Line

Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line), the city`s first fully underground metro corridor and one of its largest public transport investments, represents a major engineering achievement and has been widely welcomed by commuters. However, the overall commuter experience continues to be constrained by accessibili

Centre intensifies preparedness as El Niño threat looms

Amid uncertainty in the southwest monsoon due to the potential impact of El Niño, the government is addressing the situation with comprehensive preparedness, a clear strategy, and strong ground-level action. While challenges remain, the entire system has been activated in advance and is working proa

India is crossing a climate threshold

On June 28, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 41.3°C, four degrees above the seasonal normal. But the “feels like” temperature, which factors in humidity, showed more than 51°C. What the body experienced was very different from what the thermometer recorded. India`