The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the government to place on record a Parliamentary Standing Committee report suggesting amendments to the Lokpal law.
One of the amendments the Supreme Court has pushed for is to make the leader of the single largest opposition party in the House a part of the high-profile Search Committee to appoint the Lokpal in case there is no recognised Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Currently, the 16th Lok Sabha has no recognised Leader of the Opposition (LoP).
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur asked the government to detail the changes required to make the Lokpal office functional. It scheduled the petition filed by NGO Common Cause seeking implementation of the Lokpal law for hearing on December 14.
Appearing for the Centre, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi submitted that he had conveyed to the highest circles in the government the court’s apprehensions about the non-implementation of the law. However, he said an amendment to substitute the LoP would require other amendments in the law.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act has not seen the light of day since it was made law in 2013. Subsequent amendments to the Act are hanging in limbo.
In the previous hearing, the Bench had criticised the government for “dragging its feet” on the appointment of anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal, to usher in probity in public life.
Questioning the political will of the government to appoint the Lokpal, the court had asked whether the Lokpal amendment could be implemented by way of an ordinance. “This can be done to at least remove the misgivings in the mind of the people that this government is not interested in Lokpal... this government seems to be always interested in cleansing the system...” Chief Justice Thakur had remarked.
