Sakshi Kashyap, Symbiosis Law School, Pune
ABSTRACT:
Dr L.M. Singhvi, a parliamentarian, when famously battling for the Ombudsman concept in India thought of it as the best way to be able to enable the citizens to be able to effectively put forth their grievances which will never just be substituted by the question hour. The logic behind an ombudsman was found even in Arthashastra wherein Kautilya noted that the ones who guard a treasury will always be tempted to be dishonest as a very natural human instinct.
The Lokpal and Lokayukta are bodies which get their authority from the Lokpal and Lokayukta’s Act, 2013 which aims at prevention and control of corruption through the setting up of an independent body at the center (known as the Lokpal) as well at the state level (known as the Lokayuktas). Currently, as of date, Lokpal is the best example of a redundant body in place. The hasty decision to make an act without ensuring proper implementation leads to a dormant body like Lokpal which is now often referred to as the “toothless tiger”. This comment aims at highlighting the plausible reasons and current statistics of the working of the Lokpal on a comparative with other nations who also have an Ombudsman in place.
Keywords: Ombudsman, Lokpal, Lokayukta, Lead Time
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