80% of 1,427 complaints filed with Lokpal in 2019-20 outside anti-corruption ombudsman’s remit

At least 80% of the 1,427 complaints, including four against Union Ministers and MPs and six against state ministers and MLAs, received by the Lokpal during 2019-20 did not fall under its jurisdiction, indicating the complainant’s lack of understanding about the anti-corruption ombudsman’s role and remit.

Of the 1,347 complaints disposed of by the Lokpal in the last fiscal, official data showed, only 195 fell under the ombudsman while the rest 1,152 or 85.52% were beyond its remit. If one takes the total number of complaints received, this would come to 80.72%.

The huge proportion of complaints that do not fall under its jurisdiction shows the lack of understanding among people who approach the Lokpal with their complaints.

A senior official said people were filing any kind of complaint with the Lokpal. "People appear to be unaware of the procedures. They file complaints which don't come under the jurisdiction of Lokpal. Some are sort of grievance redressal. Some others file the same complaint with several authorities," the official said.

Read: Lokpal has no power to review its order

The Lokpal itself has acknowledged the problem and on its website said, “Citizens are advised that other complaints related to pension, service-related issues and public grievances should be addressed to the respective departments on the official portals or websites and not to the Lokpal unless it is related to corruption issue.”

According to the Lokpal, 613 out of 1,427 complaints were related to state government officials and public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, judicial institutions and autonomous bodies at the state level.

Central government officials faced 245 complaints while another 200 complaints were filed against officials at PSU's, statutory bodies, judicial institutions and autonomous bodies at the central level.

A total of 135 complaints were also filed against private persons and organisations. The Lokpal also received 220 "requests/comments/suggestions".

While the Lokpal found that 1,152 complaints beyond its remit, 78 complainants were asked to file their complaints on the prescribed form while 45 were sent for a status report. Thirty-five matters were found to be under the consideration of other authorities while directions were issued to authorities in 32 complaints.

Twenty-nine cases were pending with the Central Vigilance Commission - 25 for a status report and four for inquiry while four were with the Department of Higher Education out of which three awaited a status report and one inquiry. Two were pending with the Central Bureau of Investigation for the status report.

One complaint was pending with the Railway Board for inquiry while the status report was pending in two cases related to the Culture Ministry, one case each of the Ministry of Water Resources, Directorate General of Income Tax, Department of School Education and Literacy, Department of Post and Ministry of Shipping.

Read more: 11 months after Lokpal formation, government comes out with format to file complaints

It was only in March this year that the government had notified the rules and format for filing a complaint with the Lokpal while it was dealing with all complaints in any format filed until then.

According to the Act, the Lokpal has jurisdiction to inquire into allegations of corruption against anyone who is or has been Prime Minister, or a Minister in the Union government, or a Member of Parliament, as well as officials of the Union government under Groups A, B, C and D. Also covered are chairpersons, members, officers and directors of any board, corporation, society, trust or autonomous body either established by an Act of Parliament or wholly or partly funded by the Union or state government.

Complaints can also be filed against any society or trust or body that receives foreign contributions above Rs 10 lakh.

While the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was passed in 2013, the government appointed the first Lokpal only in March 2019. Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was administered the oath as chairperson of the Lokpal on March 23 last year while another eight members also took the oath.

One of the Lokpal members Justice A K Tripathi died due to Covid-19 in May while Justice Dilip B Bhosale had resigned earlier this year.