The Centre has begun the process for appointment of the next chief of Lokpal as the incumbent Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is set to complete his term on May 27.
A Lokpal chief and its members are appointed by the President after obtaining the recommendations of a selection committee headed by Prime Minister and comprising the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House, the Chief Justice of India or a Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist as recommended by the chairperson and members of the selection panel.
The Prime Minister-led selection committee shall for the purposes of selecting the Chairperson and members of the Lokpal and for preparing a panel of persons to be considered for such appointment, constitute a search committee consisting of at least seven persons of standing and having special knowledge and expertise in the matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, policy making, finance including insurance and banking, law and management, according to the Lokpal Act.
The Lokpal is headed by a Chairperson and can have eight members -- four judicial and the rest non-judicial. At present, there are six members in the Lokpal and the two posts of judicial members have been lying vacant for over two years. A Lokpal chief and members are appointed for a term of five years or until attaining the age of 70 years.
Justice Ghose, who was born on May 28, 1952, will be completing his term as the Lokpal chief after completing 70 years of age. Justice Dilip B Bhosale resigned as a Lokpal member in January 2020, citing personal reasons, nine months after he was appointed to the post. Another Lokpal member, Justice (retired) Ajay Kumar Tripathi died after suffering a cardiac arrest at the AIIMS Trauma Centre here on May 2, 2020.