No role in Lokpal nominations: Centre to SC

The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that application by sitting judges for appointment as Lokpal will not compromise judiciary’s independence since the government does not have a role in the selection process anymore.

• Submitting its affidavit, in response to a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, the government said the role of the executive was circumscribed to merely facilitating the selection process, and hence there was no question of conflict of interest.
• The Lokpal rules underwent a course correction in 2014 in which the Centre was stripped of its powers to shortlist and recommend names to the Lokpal Search Committee.

Background:

The government had notified amendments to the rules, giving autonomy to the Lokpal search committee to shortlist and recommend names independently for selection of Chairman and members of the anti-corruption body. Under the amended provisions of the Rule 10, it is for the Search Committee to decide how to make selections, and the role of the Central Government, under the amended sub-rule (2) of Rule 10 is now limited to providing ‘such assistance as may be required by the Search Committee. The Central government will not have any role in inviting applications or nominations from any quarter.

What will the search committee do now?

The search committee will shortlist and recommend names to the selection committee, which is to be headed by the PM, and will include Speaker of Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition or Leader of the single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha, Chief Justice of India or a sitting Supreme Court judge nominated by him, and a jurist nominated by the President on the basis of recommendations of the first four members.