Government notifies new Lokpal search panel rules

The government has notified new Lokpal search committee rules, giving it more freedom to recommend names for chairperson and members of the anti-corruption body outside the list provided by the Department of Personnel and Training.

The government has notified new Lokpal search committee rules, giving it more freedom to recommend names for chairperson and members of the anti-corruption body outside the list provided by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

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Earlier rules, which were formed by the previous UPA government, mandated the search committee to prepare a panel of persons to be considered by Prime Minister-led selection committee for appointment as the chairperson and members of the Lokpal, from amongst the list of persons given by DoPT.

In the new rules, the government has omitted restrictions for the search committee to recommend the names for Lokpal through the list provided by the DoPT.

"The search committee may, for the purpose of short-listing of persons, adopt such short-listing norms as it may consider appropriate," said the rules notified by the DoPT.

"The words 'from amongst the list of persons provided by the central government in the Department of Personnel and Training' shall be omitted," the new rules said.

The government has also reduced the composition of the search committee to seven members from eight.

The search committee will now consist of at least seven persons of standing and having special knowledge in anti-corruption, public administration and vigilance among others, the rules said.

As per the earlier rules, an eight-member search panel was tasked to draw up a panel of persons for consideration by the selection committee.

With changes in the search committee rules have been notified, the government will go ahead with the process of appointment of chairperson and members of the Lokpal, official sources said.