Lokpal appointment: SC expresses displeasure over govt’s affidavit

New Delhi, July 24 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the Centre’s affidavit on appointment of Lokpal after it found that the document didn’t give any timeframe for installing India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman. “We are not satisfied with your affidavit,” a Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi told Attorney General KK Venugopal after perusing the Centre’s affidavit.
It asked the NDA Government to file a comprehensive affidavit in four weeks.
The Bench–which had on July 17 asked the Centre to expedite the process for Lokpal’s appointment–was unhappy with the NDA Government’s affidavit as it didn’t give any timeframe as to when and how steps were to be taken to constitute a screening committee. The Congress leader in the Lok Sabha had last week boycotted the meeting of the selection panel headed by the Prime Minister. The panel has decided to go ahead with the selection process.
Venugopal told the Bench that the Lokpal appointment was a “complicated” process which would take time because a search committee had to be set up first for the purpose.
On behalf of petitioner Common Cause, advocate Prashant Bhushan once again requested the top court to use its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to appoint a Lokpal as the government was allegedly delaying the entire process. Bhushan said the court could initiate contempt proceedings against the government officials concerned.