Constitute Lokpal right away, SC tells Centre

R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, November 23

The Supreme Court today offered three options to the Centre for immediately putting in place the Lokpal, the proposed ombudsman to deal with allegations of corruption in high places such as the offices of the Prime Minister and his ministerial colleagues.

A three-member Bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur told Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that the government should either promulgate an ordinance declaring the leader of the single largest party in the Lok Sabha as Leader of Opposition (LoP) for the purpose of appointing the Lokpal or get the pending Bill passed in Parliament.

The third option was to take the SC order for treating the leader of the largest party as LoP till the required law was enacted. The Bench was hearing a PIL by NGO Common Cause for setting up the Lokpal.