7.2.19

Government gets Lokpal rolling

Modi government has finally set the ball rolling for establishing the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal that the BJP had promised in its 2014 election manifesto.

Chairman of the eight-member Search Committee Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai through an advertisement issued by personnel ministry invited applications/ nominations for both Chairperson and members of the Lokpal by February 22.

The move has come five years after the Lokpal Act was passed by the Parliament and close on the heels of February end deadline set up by the Supreme Court for the Lokpal search committee to send names who could be considered for the appointment as its chairman and members by the Prime Minister-led selection committee.

The eligibility criteria for appointment of Chairperson of Lokpal mentions that the candidate is or has been the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.

Besides, an eminent person of impeccable integrity and outstanding ability having no less than 25 years of expertise in matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance and law and management can also apply.

According to the rules, there is a provision for a chairperson and a maximum of eight members in the Lokpal of which four need to be judicial members.

To be a judicial member, the candidate should be a judge of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of a High Court. For members other than the judicial members, persons of impeccable integrity and outstanding ability and having at least 25 years of expertise in matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance and law and management can apply. For all the posts, the minimum age requirement is 45 years on the date of assuming office.

Upon selection, the chairperson and members shall hold office for a term of five years or till they attain 70 years of age.

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