<ul><li>Pinaki Chandra Ghose has been appointed as the chairman of India’s Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman. </li><li>The formation of India’s anti-corruption ombudsman has been pending for the past six years since the <keyword id="446008" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lokpal-Bill">Lokpal Bill</keyword> was first passed in 2013. </li><li>The Lokpal has the authority to look into incidents of corruption at all levels of public service, including the Prime Minister. </li></ul>Pinaki Chandra Ghose, former judge at the Indian Supreme Court and a member of the National Human Rights Commission (HRC), has been be appointed as the country’s first anti-corruption ombudsman or chairman of the Lokpal. The formation of a committee that will look into incidents of corruption within the Indian government has been in the works for six years now, since the Lokpal Act was first passed in 2013. It was only in September last year that a selection committee was formed led by Ranjana Prakash, a former Supreme Court Chief Justice, and chaired by India’s current prime minister, Narendra Modi. Even then, the leader of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge — who is also a member of the Lokpal — refused to attend the meetings. Not that it hindered the selection process since the Supreme Court’s clarification in 2017 where they ruled that the Leader of the Opposition need not necessarily be present in order for the committee to decide on the appointments for the Lokpal. What exactly is an anti-corruption ombudsman? As per the Lokpal Act, 2013, the anti-corruption ombudsman or Lokpal has the power to investigate any complaint of corruption against any public entity — including the Prime Minister. But, in order to conduct an investigation into the Prime Minister, it must be approved by two-thirds of the committee. It supersedes the authority of any other investigating agency, even the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Any officer of the CBI that’s on a case that was assigned by the Lokpal can’t even transfer out without prior approval from the ombudsman. Aside from investigation complaints of corruption, it’s also the Lokpal’s responsibility to make sure that any public officer who is a whistleblower is protected on their watch. <div type="image" title="Lokpal" msid="68491540" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Salient features of the Lokpal Act&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 The idea to put an anti-corruption ombudsman in place was first floated back in 1963 during a parliamentary session when the law ministry’s budget was being discussed. A bill for its formation even reached parliament in 1968 but despite eight attempts — none actually passed. It was only in 2013 that the Lokpal Act finally passed, that too after a nationwide protest led by India Against Corruption — a civil society movement that was led by the activist, Anna Hazare. Six years later, the Supreme Court of India told the Indian government to form a committee to appoint the country’s first Lokpal in January. An NGO called Common Cause even filed a petition and contempt petition in 2014 over the delay. It’s not just the central government of delay that subject to delay. Most states are also yet to appoint Lokayuktas, something that was supposed to be in place within a year of the Lokpal Act kicking in.

India’s gets its first anti-corruption ombudsman

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has been allocated Rs 34 crore for 2022-23 to meet its establishment and construction-related expenditures, according to the Union Budget presented on Tuesday. It was given Rs 39.67 crore for the ongoing fiscal. However, the budgetary provision was further revised downwards to Rs 26 crore for 2021-22. A total of Rs 34 crore has been allocated to the anti-corruption ombudsman for the next fiscal, according to Union Budget 2022-23 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The provision is for establishment and construction-related charged expenditure for the Lokpal, it said. President Ram Nath Kovind had on March 23, 2019 administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as chairperson of the Lokpal, the apex body to inquire and investigate into allegations of corruption against public functionaries The Lokpal's eight members were administered the oath by Justice Ghose on March 27 that year. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has been allocated Rs 41.96 crore for 2022-23. The probity watchdog has been given Rs 38.67 crore for 2021-22, which has been revised to Rs 38.63 crore. For 2022-23, the CVC has been provided Rs 41.96 crore. The provision is for secretariat expenditure of the Commission. PTI AKV AKV TDS TDS

Union Budget 2022-23: Lokpal gets Rs 34 cr, CVC allocated Rs 41.96 cr

New Delhi, Feb 1 () Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has got an allocation of nearly Rs 40 crore for 2021-22 to meet its establishment and construction related expenditures, according to the Union Budget presented on Monday. The Lokpal was given Rs 74.7 crore for the ongoing fiscal, which ends in March. This has now been revised to Rs 29.67 crore for 2020-21, it said. A total of Rs 39.67 crore has been allocated to the Lokpal for the next fiscal, according to Union Budget 2021-22 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The provision is for establishment and construction related charged expenditure for the Lokpal, it said. President Ram Nath Kovind had on March 23, 2019 administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as chairperson of the Lokpal, the apex body to inquire and investigate into allegations of corruption against public functionaries The Lokpal's eight members were administered the oath by Justice Ghose on March 27 that year. The CVC has been allocated Rs 38.67 crore for 2021-22, up from the revised Rs 33.96 crore for the ongoing fiscal. The provision is for secretariat expenditure of the Commission. AKV AKV MIN MIN

Lokpal gets nearly Rs 40 crore in Budget

<ul><li>Panaki Chandra Ghose was just appointed as the chairman of India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman or Lokpal. </li><li>The Lokpal will look into incidents of corruption within the Indian government. </li><li>But the scope of its investigation is limited since it’s not allowed to investigate cases related to foreign affairs, space and defence.</li></ul>India’s first chairman of the Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman, Pinaki Chandra Ghose, is going to have his hands full as he takes on his new role. He’s already served as a former Supreme Court judge and is currently a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Corruption has been a burgeoning topic in India — especially with Modi’s recent #chowkidar campaign on Twitter — but there’s little to suggest to actual on-ground improvement. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), India’s score only improved by one point between 2017 and 2018. In fact, the global watchdog pegs India as one of the worst <a href="https://www.transparency.org/cpi2018">offenders</a> in the Asia-Pacific region. It’s <a href="https://www.prsindia.org/media/articles-by-prs-team/lokpal-act-3095">unclear</a> whether the Lokpal will be looking into petty corruption or big-ticket corruption as its primary mandate. Deterring the problem from both ends is important in a country like India where, on the one hand, more than 62% of Indians have paid off a public official for a job and, on the other hand, you have the big-ticket scams like the allocation of funds during the Commonwealth Games in 2010. To probe or not to probe? While finally having a Lokpal in place might be good for the general public, one of sectors most vulnerable to corruption — is aerospace and defense and one that the ombudsman can’t touch. According to an Ernst and Young report, aerospace and defence is perceived to be the third most vulnerable sector to corruption. This means that incidents like the Rafale Deal or the BOFORS case — some of the most contentious armed deals in the country — won’t come under the Lokpal’s purview. But, on the other hand, the 2G spectrum case or ‘Coalgate’ — where the allocation of resources came into question — would be incidents that the Lokpal would look into. One of the more recent corruption allegations were actually within India’s Central Bureau of Investigation where Alok Verma, the CBI director and his deputy, Rakesh Asthana both accused the other of being corrupt. Both were, subsequently, asked to resign from their posts at the bureau. The investigation is still pending and several other senior officers have also been put on ‘indefinite leave’ until the matter is sorted. And corruption isn’t limited to India’s borders either. According to the ‘Export Corruption Report’ by Transparency International, India among four countries that has ‘little or no enforcement’ in place to check against against foreign bribery. But, then again, the Lokpal is restricted from looking into incidents of corruption when it comes to foreign affairs. India already has the Central Vigilance Commission to address governmental corruption but even though it’s an autonomous body, it’s not an investigative agency. And, the Prevention of Corruption Act is which aimed at combating corruption in the government has largely been misused due to Section 13(1)d, which allowed honest officials to be prosecuted serving as deterrent to bold decision making.

Here’s what India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman is up against

<table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#105980;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Constituency </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#105980;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winner Candidate Name </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#105980;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winner Party </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#105980;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winning Margin </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Aska </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Pramila Bisoyi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">204707 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Berhampur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">94844 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bhadrak </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">MANJULATA MANDAL </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">28803 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Cuttack </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">121201 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Dhenkanal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">MAHESH SAHOO </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">35412 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jagatsinghpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">RAJASHREE MALLICK </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">271655 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jajpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SARMISTHA SETHI </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">101693 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Kandhamal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">ACHYUTANANDA SAMANTA </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">149216 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Kendrapara </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Anubhav Mohanty </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">152584 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Keonjhar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Chandrani Murmu </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">66203 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Nabarangpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">RAMESH CHANDRA MAJHI </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">41634 </td></tr></tbody></table> BJD has won 12 seats out of the total 21 seats in the state. BJP has managed to win 8 seats while INC could manage to win only 1 seat. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Navin Patnaik’s BJD (Biju Janata Dal) is fighting from all these constituencies of Odisha for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Chanakya exit polls prediction for 2019 Lok Sabha elections forecast 7 seats for the BJD for the parliament out of the 21 seats. CVoter had predicted 11 seats for the party while India Today exit poll results said the party will bag only 4 seats from the state of Odisha. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJD got 20 out of 21 seats leaving the remaining 1 seat for the BJP. In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the results saw BJD 14 seats from the state leaving 6 seats for INC and 1 seat for CPI. The key candidates who fought for BJD from Odisha are as follows. From Kalahandi seat, Pushpendra Singh Deo contested for the party. Chandrasekhar Sahu contested from Berhampur seat, from the Bargarh seat Prasanna Acharya has fought the elections. The sitting MPs Bhartruhari Mahtab and Pinaki Mishra contested from their winning constituencies Cuttack and Puri once again. MP Rabindra Kumar Jena fought once again from his winning constituency Balasore. NDTV’s exit poll predictions say the BJD is bound to win 11 seats in the state just one more seat than what is predicted for the BJP out of the 21 seats in the state. However, BJD is hopeful of repeating the thumping performance it showed during the assembly elections when it secured a two-third majority. The party hopes it can repeat the same performance and can get not less than 15 seats in the state in 2019 Lok Sabha elections once the results are announced. Navin Patnaik’s BJD is doing quite well in the state over the recent past as evident in the assembly elections and the results of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will let us know if the outcome matches the forecasts.

You Searched For "who is pinaki chandra ghose" and got 5 results

India’s gets its first anti-corruption ombudsman

Prabhjote Gill

Union Budget 2022-23: Lokpal gets Rs 34 cr, CVC allocated Rs 41.96 cr

PTI

Lokpal gets nearly Rs 40 crore in Budget

PTI

Here’s what India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman is up against

Prabhjote Gill

BJD winner candidate list for Lok Sabha Election 2019

BI India Bureau