The Government on Thursday faced a fresh challenge in the Supreme Court on its decision to call for an emergency meeting of lokpal Screening Committee to select lokpal chairperson and members. An NGO moved a fresh application challenging the selection process of the anti-corruption ombudsman - an issue on which the Court has already sought the Centre’s response.
“It is submitted that the latest move by the Government to proceed with the appointment of the Chairperson and members of the lokpal, even while this Court is seized of the issue of the validity of the Rules framed under the lokpal Act, is not only highly improper but also illegal and arbitrary,” the application said.
The NGO filed the fresh plea following apex court’s oral observation during an hearing earlier in which the bench had said if it comes across any such development(by the government so far as the selection of lokpal and its members was concerned), it would be at liberty to approach this court for interim directions.
In its application, NGO Common Cause said it has come to know that on April 11, the Prime Minister had asked all the members of the lokpal Selection Committee to inform about their availability so that a meeting of the panel could be held.
The application also said the government was going ahead with the selection process in spite of “serious flaws” in the rules of selection and sought to declare “illegal” the rules under which selections are being done.