'Short-staffed' Lokpal in search of consultant

Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has invited applications for the post of consultant to help it in its work, an official said on Thursday.

"The Lokpal is short-staffed and necessary manpower arrangement is being worked out by the government in consultation with the watchdog," he said.

Applications have been invited from eligible retired officials (deputy secretary level/deputy registrar level) for filling up of the post of a consultant in the office of Lokpal, the official said.

In April, Dilip Kumar, a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Punjab cadre, was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the office of Lokpal.

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was sworn-in as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman by President Ram Nath Kovind in March.

According to the rules, there is a provision for a chairperson and a maximum of eight members in the Lokpal panel. Of these, four need to be judicial members.

Former chief justices of different high courts, Justices Dilip B Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari and Ajay Kumar Tripathi, had taken oath as judicial members of the Lokpal.

Former first woman chief of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Archana Ramasundaram, ex-Maharashtra chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain, former Indian Revenue Service officer Mahender Singh and Gujarat cadre ex-IAS officer Indrajeet Prasad Gautam were sworn-in as the Lokpal's non-judicial members.

The Centre is yet to finalise a format for lodging complaints with the anti-corruption ombudsman.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013.