The light of the first anti corruption ombudsman has seen the day in India as the Government Supreme Court went ahead with the appointment of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the first lokpal of India.It is nearly after five years of passing of the Lok Ayukta Act 2013. The Lokpal was given the push by eminent reformist and activist Anna Hazare and then Shri. Arvind Kejriwal in 2011. The concept is a derivative of the Swedish word “Ombudsman”meaning representing people.
It is interesting to see how it would function in the light of the political situation in the country. The Lokpal aims to establish the confidence in public that no one is above law. Thus the lokpal will have jurisdiction over central government on matters where allegations of corruption against its
public offices is concerned.
The Lokpal would consist of 8 member team, where 4 would be judicial members and the other 4 would be non judicial members of impeccable integrity and having experience in field of anti
corruption, public administration and so forth etc.
The highlight of Lokpal being no minister and no influential bureaucrat would be able to influence the same, the likes of election commission etc.
Furthermore the Lokpal has been loaded with having power over the CBI, where in it can give directions to CBI, barring transfers of CBI officers involved in investigation, search and seizure so
forth so on, lastly it has power to suspend a public servant connected with allegation of corruption.
It is a ray of hope but time would only tell how it would function. Whether it has a chink in the armour and in the light of given corrupt circumstances in the nation would it really stand for
principles. Whether it would fizzle out like other initiatives by the government and CBI.