Meet on Mar 1 to decide on appointment of Lokpal, SC told

The Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Lok Sabha Speaker and leader of the largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha will meet on March 1 to decide on the appointment of Lokpal, Attorney General K K Venugopal told the Supreme Court on Friday.

The statement from the top law officer of the country came in response to a contempt petition filed by NGO Common Cause.

He submitted before a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R Banumathi that the process of the appointment of anti-graft ombudsman was already on. It got delayed due to the death of senior advocate P P Rao, who was one of the members of the selection committee.

The court placed on record Venugopal's submission that steps were initiated under the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 and a meeting was scheduled on March 1, 2018.

"The steps taken and proposed may be indicated in an affidavit of the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training, to be filed on March 5, 2018 when the court reopens after the Holi holidays," the bench ordered, putting the matter for further consideration on March 6.

Not invalid

In the contempt plea filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of the NGO, it was contended there was no development, though the apex court had on April 27, 2017 ruled that the central government can go ahead with appointment of Lokpal even in the absence of the Leader of Opposition.

The court had relied upon Section 4(2) of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 that laid down appointment of Lokpal and other members would not become invalid due to vacancy of any member's post on the selection committee.