Yashaswi Raj VardhanAIR 11 · CSE 2025 · 264 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a recent event
The Lokpal was recently under scrutiny by the Supreme Court for deciding High Court Judges fall under its jurisdiction.
Body · points
Significance of the institution
(1) Very wide jurisdiction under Section 14 - All group A, B, C, D officers, MPs, current and former ministers — even PSUs. (2) Search and Selection committee for fair appointment process — PM, Speaker, CJI, Leader of Opposition, Eminent Jurist. (3) Representative Body • At least half the members are to be SC, ST, OBC, minority and women. • Same for member of search committee. (4) High Standards of Appointment • Judicial: former Judge of Supreme Court or Chief Justice of High courts. • Non-judicial: 25 years of expertise and exemplary integrity. (5) National level Ombudsman with powers on enquiry and prosecution. (6) Supervision over CVC and CBI
Not a Panacea
(1) Lacks suo-moto powers (2) Lacks jurisdiction over constitutional bodies like Supreme Court (3) Lacks punitive powers (4) Delays in appointment (2013-2019) (5) Too many exceptions for Prime Minister (6) Severe penalties for false complaints — weaponised for chilling effect (7) Post-mortem nature of enquiry (8) Non-uniform extension to States
Way forward
(1) Grant suo-moto and anonymous complaints powers (2) Expand scope to bring accountability over Judiciary — link as alternative to Judges Enquiry Act, 1968 (3) Functional and financial autonomy (4) Link to Social Audit reports as mechanism of control (5) Create a synchronised network in States
Close · a way forward
The institution of Lokpal is a vital step towards public accountability but needs to be accompanied by civic political culture to realise its potential. It is an instrument, not an end.
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