Short-staffed Lokpal in search of consultant

The government has invited applications for the post of consultant in anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal to help it in its work, an official said Thursday.

"The Lokpal is short-staffed and necessary manpower arrangement is being worked out by the government in consultation with the watchdog," he said.

Applications have been invited from eligible retired officials (deputy secretary level/deputy registrar level) for filling up of the post of a consultant in the office of Lokpal, the official said.

In April, Dilip Kumar, a 1995-batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre, was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the office of Lokpal.

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was sworn in as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman by President Ram Nath Kovind in March.

According to the rules, there is a provision for a chairperson and a maximum of eight members in the Lokpal panel. Of these, four need to be judicial members.

Former chief justices of different high courts, justices Dilip B Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari and Ajay Kumar Tripathi, had taken oath as judicial members of the Lokpal.

Former first woman chief of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Archana Ramasundaram, ex-Maharashtra chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain, former IRS officer Mahender Singh and Gujarat cadre ex-IAS officer Indrajeet Prasad Gautam were sworn-in as the Lokpal's non-judicial members.

The Centre is yet to finalise a format for lodging complaints with the anti-corruption ombudsman.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013.