The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it hoped the committee to select a Lokpal would expeditiously shortlist names for the post, reported Live Law. The court, which is hearing a contempt petition filed by advocate Shanti Bhushan, refused to issue any order for now after Attorney General KK Venugopal said the Lokpal selection committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday to set up a search panel to make the appointment.
The bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, R Banumathi and Navin Sinha fixed the matter for further hearing on July 24 after the government submitted a report on the meeting.
The bench said the search committee set up by the selection panel has to lay down the norms and criteria for the selection of the anti-corruption ombudsman. However, Venugopal said the selection committee may not be able to complete its deliberations in one sitting on Thursday.
The contempt petition was filed by advocate Shanti Bhushan on behalf of NGO Common Cause. It raised the issue of the non-appointment of the Lokpal despite the top court’s judgement on April 27, 2017, asking the Centre to do so without further delay.
On July 2, the Supreme Court ordered the Centre to apprise it of a time frame for appointing the country’s anti-corruption ombudsman.
The selection committee is chaired by the prime minister and comprises the chief justice of India, Lok Sabha Speaker, the leader of the largest Opposition party and an eminent jurist. In May, the Centre had said that senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi had been appointed as the jurist on the panel.
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