Supreme Court seeks response from Centre on selection process of Lokpal

Supreme Court of India on 31 March 2014 issued a notice to the Union Government and has sought its response on selection process of Chairperson and member of the Lokpal. It has asked the center to justify within four weeks the Search Committee Rules, 2014 that is framed under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2014.

The bench of Supreme Court comprising Justice RM Lodha and Kurian Joseph has directed the government on a petition filed by an NGO Common Cause questioning the entire process for appointment of chairperson and members of the Lokpal. The NGO in its plea is seeking its stay on the process. NGO’s plea sought to declare the pro illegal the rules under which selections are being done.

The NGO in its PIL has sought a declaration that certain provisions of the rules are ultra vires of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. It has also sought quashing of the entire selection process initiated under the rules alleging that it is illegal, arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.

It has said that the government is going ahead with the selection process despite there being serious flaws in the rules under which selections are being done.

The notice of the Supreme Court was accepted by Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran on the behalf of the Center.

As per the petition, earlier, Justice K T Thomas and Fali Nariman had already declined the proposal to accept the offers on similar grounds at the post of the chairman and member of the search committee respectively.