New Delhi: Government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the process for appointing the anti-graft ombudsman Lokpal is going on and a meeting of the selection committee, which includes the Prime Minister, has been scheduled for March 1.
Attorney General K K Venugopal told a bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R Banumathi that steps for appointing Lokpal have been taken and the selection panel, comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Speaker of Lok Sabha and leader of the largest opposition party, would hold a meeting on March 1 to discuss the issue.
The bench, while taking into account the submission of the Attorney General, posted the matter for hearing on March 6 and asked the Secretary of Department of Personnel and Training to file an affidavit about the “steps taken and proposed”.
“The Attorney General for India has submitted that steps under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 is under way and a meeting has been scheduled on March 1, 2018. The steps taken and proposed may be indicated in an affidavit of the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training be filed on March 5, 2018 when the Court re-opens after the Holi holidays,” the bench noted in its order.
The bench was hearing a contempt petition filed by NGO Common Cause which has raised the issue of non-appointment of Lokpal despite the apex court’s verdict of April 27 last year.
Venugopal informed the bench that there was a delay in the process due to the death of senior advocate P P Rao, who was one of the members of the committee, last year.