‘Recommend names for Lokpal by Feb end’: SC tells search panel


Team Udayavani, Jan 17, 2019, 1:47 PM IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday fixed a February-end deadline for the search committee on Lokpal to recommend a panel of names for appointment of the country’s first anti-graft ombudsman.

The search committee is headed by former apex court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi directed the Centre to provide the search committee requisite infrastructure and manpower to enable it to complete its work.

The bench, also comprising justices L N Rao and S K Kaul, said it would hear the matter again on March 7.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, told the bench there were certain problems like lack of infrastructure and manpower due to which the search committee was not able to hold deliberations on the issue.

The apex court had on January 4 directed the Centre to place an affidavit on steps taken till date for Lokpal’s appointment and expressed its displeasure over the tardy progress made in this regard.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Common Cause, which has been pursuing the issue of Lokpal, had said the government has not even made public the members of the search committee on its website.

The search committee will forward the names to the selection committee members comprising the prime minister, the leader of the single largest opposition party, the Lok Sabha speaker and an eminent jurist.

The top court had on July 24 last year rejected as “wholly unsatisfactory” the Centre’s submission on the issue of setting up of a search committee for the Lokpal and demanded a “better affidavit”.

The apex court was also told that the selection committee members comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the then CJI Dipak Misra, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and eminent jurist Mukul Rohatgi had met on July 19 last year to deliberate upon names for members of the search committee.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the leader of the largest opposition party, has been giving a go by to the meetings of the selection panel.

The top court on July 24 last year was told that the selection panel also took note that the search committee is to comprise a minimum of seven people, including chairperson, with experience in anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, policy making, finance including insurance and banking, law and management, etc.

The Centre on September 27, 2018, had constituted an eight-member search committee headed by Justice Desai to recommend names to the selection panel for appointment of a Lokpal.

Other members of the search committee are former chief of State Bank of India Arundhati Bhattacharya, Prasar Bharati chairperson A Surya Prakash, Indian Space Research Organisation head A S Kiran Kumar, former judge of Allahabad High Court Sakha Ram Singh Yadav, former Gujarat Police head Shabbir Hussain S Khandwawala, retired IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre Lalit K Panwar, and former Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Film personalities remember ‘one of the finest filmmakers’, ‘great intellectual’ Shyam Benegal

AAP, BJP play blame game as toxic Yamuna triggers water shortage scare in Delhi

ISRO to launch SpaDeX Mission on Dec 30

Location for Bengaluru’s second airport to be finalised strictly on merit: Minister M B Patil

When many countries are at war, PM Modi binding world in thread of peace, harmony: Yogi

Nelamangala accident: Police expedite probe, CCTV images being scrutinised

Minister Parameshwara directs police to ensure tight security in Bengaluru on New Year’s eve

Related Articles More

AAP, BJP play blame game as toxic Yamuna triggers water shortage scare in Delhi

Prevent enrolment of illegal Bangladeshi migrants: Directorate of Education to Delhi schools

When many countries are at war, PM Modi binding world in thread of peace, harmony: Yogi

Teachings of Lord Christ celebrate love, harmony: PM Modi at Christmas celebrations

Police ‘killed’ Dalit man, alleges Rahul in Parbhani; CM Fadnavis says visit politically motivated

MUST WATCH

Tulunadu Daivaradane

Feeding Birds with Creative Paddy Art!

Areca Nut

HOTEL SRI DURGA BHAVANA

Harish Poonja


Latest Additions

US expresses concern over sentencing of 25 civilians by Pakistan military court

Film personalities remember ‘one of the finest filmmakers’, ‘great intellectual’ Shyam Benegal

AAP, BJP play blame game as toxic Yamuna triggers water shortage scare in Delhi

Location for Bengaluru’s 2nd airport to be finalised strictly on merit: Minister Patil

Prevent enrolment of illegal Bangladeshi migrants: Directorate of Education to Delhi schools

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.