Lokpal gets 1,427 complaints in 2019-20; 613 against state govts, 4 against Union ministers, MPs

An anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has reported 613 complaints against the state government officials and 245 complaints against the central government during 2019-20. A total of 1,427 complaints have been reported.

New Delhi: A total of 1,427 complaints were received by anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal during 2019-20, of which 613 were related to state government officials and four against Union ministers and Members of Parliament, according to official data.

It said 245 complaints were against central government officials, 200 against those in public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, judicial institutions and autonomous bodies at the central level and 135 were against private persons and organisations.

There were six complaints against state ministers and members of legislative assemblies and four against Union ministers, Lokpal's data stated.

Of the total complaints, 220 were requests/comments/suggestions, it said.

A total of 613 complaints were related to state government officials, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, judicial institutions and autonomous bodies at the state level, official data showed.

Of the total complaints,1,347 were disposed of. There were 1,152 complaints beyond the Lokpal's jurisdiction, it said.

A total of 78 complainants were advised to file complaints on the prescribed form, 45 were sent for status/inquiry report and directions to concerned authority were issued for appropriate action in 32 complaints, data showed.

Giving details of the pendency, Lokpal data said 29 cases were pending with the Central Vigilance Commission - 25 for status reports and four for inquiry, four with the Department of Higher Education - three for status reports and one for inquiry and two with the Central Bureau of Investigation for status report.

One complaint was pending with the Railway Board for inquiry, it said.

Status reports were pending in two cases related to the Culture Ministry, one case each of Ministry of Water Resources, Directorate General of Income Tax, Department of School Education and Literacy, Department of Post and Ministry of Shipping, official data showed.

The Lokpal is the apex body to inquire and investigate into allegations of corruption against public functionaries.

The central government had in March this year notified a format for filing complaints with the Lokpal. Before this was notified, the Lokpal scrutinised all the complaints received by it in any format.

President Ram Nath Kovind had on March 23 last year, administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the chairperson of Lokpal.

The Lokpal's eight members were administered the oath by Justice Ghose on March 27.

However, one of the Lokpal members, Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi, died in May this year. Another member Justice Dilip B Bhosale had resigned from the post in January this year.

According to rules, there is a provision for a chairperson and a maximum of eight members in the Lokpal panel.

PTI