Lokpal disposed of 68% corruption complaints against public servants without any action: Parliamentary panel report
- Around 68% corruption complaints against public functionaries that landed with the Lokpal of India were “disposed of” without any action in the past four years.
- Nearly 90% complaints were not in the prescribed format. It has not prosecuted even a single person accused of graft till date.
- It received 8,703 complaints, out of which 5,981 complaints were disposed of. As many as 6,775 complaints were rejected for not being in the correct format.
- Only three complaints were fully investigated, and 36 complaints were at a preliminary stage.
Composition of Lokpal
- Multi-member body: Lokpal is a multi-member body that consists of one chairperson and a maximum of 8 members.
- Chairperson: Chairperson of the Lokpal should be: either the former Chief Justice of India or the former Judge of Supreme Court or an eminent person with impeccable integrity having special knowledge and expertise of minimum 25 years in the matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance including insurance and banking, law and management.
- Out of the maximum eight members, half will be judicial members and minimum 50% of the Members will be from SC/ ST/ OBC/ Minorities and women.
- The judicial member of the Lokpal is either a former Judge of the Supreme Court or a former Chief Justice of a High Court
- Term: The term of office for Lokpal Chairman and Members is 5 years or till the age of 70 years.
Jurisdiction of Lokpal:
- It includes the Prime Minister, Ministers, MPs, Groups A, B, C and D officers and officials of the Central Government.
Powers of Lokpal:
- Superintendence over the CBI: It has Superintendence over the Central Bureau of Investigation and can give directions to it. If a case is referred to CBI by Lokpal, the investigating officer in such a case cannot be transferred without the approval of Lokpal.
- Enjoy Powers of Civil Court: Lokpal will have an Inquiry Wing and Prosecution Wing. The Inquiry Wing has the powers of a Civil Court.
- Confiscate Assets: It can confiscate assets, proceeds, receipts and benefits arisen or procured by means of corruption in special circumstances.
- Transfer/Suspend: It can transfer or suspend public servants connected with allegations of corruption.