New Lokpal rules to be notified soon

Government will soon notify new rules for modifying mandate of Lokpal search committee, tasked with recommending names for appointment of chairperson and members of the anti-corruption body.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is finalising the new rules in consultation with the Law Ministry, official sources said.

The search committee is likely to get power to recommend people for chairperson and members of Lokpal from outside the list, to be provided by the DoPT, for consideration of Prime Minister-led selection committee, they said.

As per the existing rules, an eight-member search panel is tasked to draw up a panel of persons for consideration by the selection committee. 

The search panel has to choose these persons from among the panel provided by the DoPT. 

A committee headed by Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi had also submitted to the Centre its report on amendments in the Lokpal search panel rules.

The committee was formed to look into any legal complications for bringing in changes in the search panel rules, which were formed by the last UPA government.

The committee's report has been examined by the DoPT and the new rules are likely to be notified soon, they said.

The government will go ahead with appointments of Lokpal only after the amendments are carried out in the rules, the sources said.

In a related development, the DoPT has recently renewed delegation of power to decide on matters handled by it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will decide on all matters relating to Lokpal, CVC and anti-corruption legislation under newly-formed delegation of powers on works handled by the DoPT.

The UPA government could not go ahead with the much- touted appointment of chairperson and members of Lokpal due to BJP's objection to the selection procedure. 

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act provides for the establishment of a Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into corruption charges against public functionaries. 

The Lokpal selection committee, led by the Prime Minister, has as its members the Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of Opposition in the Lower House, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist who could be nominated by the President or any other member.