What Happened
- A Parliamentary Standing Committee sought details of the roadmap for fully operationalising the Lokpal's inquiry wing and prosecution wing, more than a decade after the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 was enacted.
- The inquiry wing was constituted by the Lokpal on September 5, 2024 — but remains understaffed as the institution explores appointing serving officers on deputation rather than direct recruitment.
- The prosecution wing, while resolved to be constituted by the Lokpal full bench, has seen limited progress; the committee noted that statutory compliance cannot be contingent on the current volume of cases and urged expeditious action.
- Of the Lokpal's sanctioned strength of 65 officers in its anti-corruption residency, 24 positions remain vacant; additionally, 2 out of 8 member positions (1 judicial, 1 non-judicial) are unfilled.
- The committee also flagged the absence of a dedicated Special Court under Section 35 of the Lokpal Act; currently, cases are being tried by special judges designated under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
- The panel recommended that the matter of notifying a Lokpal Special Court be actively pursued with the Delhi High Court.
Static Topic Bridges
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 — Structure and Mandate
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 established the Lokpal as an independent statutory body to inquire into allegations of corruption against public functionaries including the Prime Minister (with safeguards), Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Group A, B, C, D government servants.
- The Lokpal was operationally established only in March 2019, six years after the legislation — its first Chairperson was Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose.
- Section 11 of the Act mandates the constitution of an Inquiry Wing headed by a Director of Inquiry for conducting preliminary inquiries into corruption complaints.
- Section 15 mandates the constitution of a Prosecution Wing headed by a Director of Prosecution for prosecuting public servants before the Special Court.
- Section 35 requires the Central Government to notify a Special Court or Courts for the trial of offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as recommended by the Lokpal.
- The Lokpal consists of a Chairperson and up to 8 Members; at least 50% must be from the judiciary, and 50% must be from SC/ST/OBC/minority/women categories.
Connection to this news: Nearly 11 years after the Act, neither the inquiry wing nor the prosecution wing is fully functional — the parliamentary committee is compelling the government to fill this institutional vacuum.
Parliamentary Standing Committees and Oversight Mechanism
Parliamentary Standing Committees are permanent committees of Parliament that scrutinise government functioning between sessions. The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committees (DRSCs) examine Bills, the working of ministries, and the implementation of laws.
- Standing Committees have the power to summon officials, examine documents, and make recommendations — though recommendations are not binding, they carry significant persuasive authority.
- The Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice oversees the Ministry of Personnel and the Department of Justice — under whose purview Lokpal matters fall.
- Parliamentary committees have historically been effective in prodding reluctant bureaucracies: for instance, repeated committee interventions between 2014-2019 preceded Lokpal's eventual constitution.
- The committees' reports are presented to Parliament and become part of the public record, creating accountability pressure on the executive.
Connection to this news: The committee's present intervention follows a pattern of parliamentary oversight driving incremental progress on Lokpal operationalisation — the committee's March 2025 report had similarly urged a 6-month timeline for both wings.
Lokpal vs. Lokayukta — Centre-State Distinction
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, established the Lokpal at the Centre and directed states to constitute Lokayuktas within one year (by January 2, 2015). The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC) had recommended the Lokayukta as a key pillar of anti-corruption architecture at the state level.
- Lokayuktas are state-level ombudsman institutions; their powers vary significantly by state legislation — some (like Karnataka) have strong investigative and prosecution powers, others are advisory only.
- Article 253 of the Constitution enables Parliament to make laws giving effect to international obligations; India ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2011, providing additional impetus for the Lokpal legislation.
- The Lokpal has jurisdiction over all Group A, B, C, D central government servants — a vast expansion from earlier proposals that limited it to senior officials.
- The Lokpal cannot investigate the President, Vice-President, or judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
Connection to this news: The incomplete operationalisation of Lokpal's wings undermines India's institutional anti-corruption architecture at the Centre, even as the statutory framework is otherwise comprehensive.
Key Facts & Data
- Lokpal established: Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013; operationally active from March 2019.
- Inquiry Wing constituted: September 5, 2024 (Section 11 of the Act).
- Prosecution Wing: full bench resolved to constitute; not yet established.
- Vacancies: 24 out of 65 sanctioned positions in anti-corruption residency; 2 out of 8 member positions.
- Special Court under Section 35: not yet notified; cases currently handled by PC Act special judges.
- Mandate of the Act: covers PM (with safeguards), Union Ministers, MPs, and all central government Group A-D servants.
- The committee's earlier (March 2025) report had called for constitution of both wings within 6 months — that deadline passed without full compliance.