Justice (retired) Pinaki Chandra Ghose, former Supreme Court judge and current member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), is set to be India’s first Lokpal.
- As per the reports, his name was cleared and recommended by the high-level selection committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi .
- Other members of the committee are Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and jurist Mukul Rohatgi. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also part of the selection committee, did not attend the meeting after he was invited as special invitee.
- Mr. Pinaki Ghose was appointed as judge of the Calcutta High Court in 1997 and later he became Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh before his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2013.
- In December 2018, the Union Government had constituted an 8 member search committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to recommend the chairperson and members of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal. Former State Bank of India chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, Prasar Bharati chairperson A. Surya Prakash and former Indian Space Research Organisation head A.S. Kiran Kumar were the members of the search committee.
About Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011
The Rajya Sabha had passed the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011 on December 17, 2013 and the Bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha on 18 December 2013. Some of the important features in the Bill are as below:-
- Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta at the level of the States.
- The Lokpal will consist of a Chairperson and a maximum of eight Members, of which fifty percent shall be judicial members.
- Fifty per cent of members of Lokpal shall be from amongst SC/ST/OBCs, Minorities and Women.
- The selection of Chairperson and Members of Lokpal shall be through a Selection Committee consisting of:-
- Prime Minister;
- Speaker of Lok Sabha;
- Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha;
- Chief Justice of India or a sitting Supreme Court judge nominated by CJI;
- Eminent jurist to be nominated by the President of India on the basis of recommendations of the first four members of the Selection Committee.
- Prime Minister has been brought under the purview of the Lokpal.
- Lokpal’s jurisdiction will cover all categories of public servants.
- All entities receiving donations from foreign source in the context of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in excess of Rs. 10 lakhs per year are brought under the jurisdiction of Lokpal.
- Provides adequate protection for honest and upright Public Servants.
- Lokpal will have power of superintendence and direction over any investigation agency including CBI for cases referred to them by Lokpal.
- A high powered Committee chaired by the Prime Minister will recommend selection of the Director,CBI.
- Directorate of Prosecution headed by a Director of Prosecution under the overall control of Director;
- The appointment of the Director of Prosecution, CBI on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission;
- Transfer of officers of CBI investigating cases referred by Lokpal with the approval of Lokpal;
- The Bill also incorporates provisions for attachment and confiscation of property acquired by corrupt means, even while prosecution is pending.
- The Bill lays down clear time lines for Preliminary enquiry & investigation and trial and towards this end, the Bill provides for setting up of Special Courts.
- A mandate for setting up of the institution of Lokayukta through enactment of a law by the State Legislature within a period of 365 days from the date of commencement of the Act.
