Institution of Lokpal fully functional: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said the institution of Lokpal is fully functional in the country.

In a written reply to questions in Lok Sabha, the Minister of State PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said the President, on the recommendation of the duly constituted Selection Committee, appointed the Chairperson and eight members of the Lokpal who assumed charge of their offices on March 23 and 27 last year respectively.

The Lokpal is an independent statutory body established under Section 3 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

The Lokpal is required to present annually to the President a report on the work done by it, which is caused to be laid in both the Houses of the Parliament, Singh said.

Since the Lokpal was operationalised at the end of March last year, no such report has been submitted by the Lokpal. Hence, details of the cases registered and action taken thereon by the Lokpal are not available, the minister said.

The government said the Lokpal (Complaint) Rules, 2020 have been notified in the Gazette of India on March 2 this year.

The rules are already in the public domain, having been placed on the website of the Department of Personnel and Training, Singh said.

The form for making a complaint has been devised keeping in view various provisions of the Act relating to processing of the complaints and the same is annexed to the rules, he said.