Interesting facts are emerging about the details of the applicants for the post of lokpal and its members after the Central Information Commission (CIC) ordered for the release of the names under the RTI Act.
There were 16 applicants for the post of lokpal and a heavy rush was seen for the four posts in the non-judicial category as member in lokpal. There were 380 applicants ranging from retired IAS, IPS, advocates, journalists, engineers, social workers and even from persons who worked as Group C in Government. However, only 24 applications were received for the four judicial category posts in lokpal.
The list, which has been made public by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) after an order of Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava on the plea of noted RTI activist Subhash Agrawal, shows the Supreme Court had nominated Justices Gyan Sudha Mishra, CK Prasad and Balbir Singh Chauhan, who have now retired, for the position.
Retired Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court M Karpaga Vinayagam, who is Chairman, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, former UGC member and former Information Commissioner MM Ansari, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu are also among those who have applied for the post directly.
Interestingly, then Cabinet Secretary AK Seth, current CVC KV Chowdary, who was then Member of CBDT, then Finance Secretary Sumit Bose and then law Secretary PK Malhotra were also contenders for the non-judicial member posts in lokpal. They were all recommend by their Departments and Ministries.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, who spearheaded the lokpal movement, also suggested Gaikwad Jayant Yashwant, a former IAS
officer currently practicing as lawyer in the Bombay High Court for the post of non-Judicial member. More than 50 IAS and IPS officers applied for the post.
Several retired Directors of the CBI had recommended several applicants. Former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan also recommended some applications.
Some applicants put the name of former President APJ Adbul Kalam as their recommender. But there was a rider in Kalam’s name saying that the late President will only recommend if the selection committee choose the applicant for the post.
In his directive for disclosure of names of applicants for various positions in lokpal, advertised by DoPT, Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava had said the disclosure would enhance transparency and public confidence in the selection process.
DoPT had sought applications for one post of Chairman and eight positions — four each for judicial and non-judicial members — in the anti-graft body on January 17, 2014.