OMBUDSMAN-Lokapal in India
Introduction
Corruption is one of the main reasons for the various problems in the country. The effect of corruption has many dimensions related to political, economic, social and environmental effects. In political sphere, corruption impedes democracy and the rule of law. In a democratic system, public institutions and offices may lose their legitimacy when they misuse their power for private interest. Corruption may also result in negative consequences such as encoring cynicism and reducing interest of political participation , political instability , reducing political competition, reducing the transparency of political decision making, distorting political development and sustaining political activity based on patronage, clientelism and money, etc. In Social sphere, corruption discourages people to work together for the common good. Frustration and general apathy among the public result in a weak civil society. Demanding and paying bribes becomes the tradition. It also results in social inequality and widened gap between the rich and poor, civil strive, increased poverty and lack of basic needs like food, water and drugs, jealousy and hatred and insecurity. To avoid corruption there should be an independent body to tackle and chech corruption. Lokpal is one of such institution.1
The basic idea of the Lok Pal is borrowed from the office of ombudsman, which has played an effective role in checking corruption and wrong-doing in Scandinavian and other nations. In early 1960s, mounting corruption in public administration set the winds blowing in favour of an Ombudsman in India too.2About three decades back, people in parliamentary democracies, had firm convictions that the parliamentary process, press and public debates, along with the provisions for the redress by way of the petitions to the Government and to the Parliament could adequately remedy the ‘citizens’ grievances and control the arbitrariness’ of the executive, but with the increasing activities of
Corruption is one of the main reasons for the various problems in the country. The effect of corruption has many dimensions related to political, economic, social and environmental effects. In political sphere, corruption impedes democracy and the rule of law. In a democratic system, public institutions and offices may lose their legitimacy when they misuse their power for private interest. Corruption may also result in negative consequences such as encoring cynicism and reducing interest of political participation , political instability , reducing political competition, reducing the transparency of political decision making, distorting political development and sustaining political activity based on patronage, clientelism and money, etc. In Social sphere, corruption discourages people to work together for the common good. Frustration and general apathy among the public result in a weak civil society. Demanding and paying bribes becomes the tradition. It also results in social inequality and widened gap between the rich and poor, civil strive, increased poverty and lack of basic needs like food, water and drugs, jealousy and hatred and insecurity. To avoid corruption there should be an independent body to tackle and chech corruption. Lokpal is one of such institution.1
The basic idea of the Lok Pal is borrowed from the office of ombudsman, which has played an effective role in checking corruption and wrong-doing in Scandinavian and other nations. In early 1960s, mounting corruption in public administration set the winds blowing in favour of an Ombudsman in India too.2About three decades back, people in parliamentary democracies, had firm convictions that the parliamentary process, press and public debates, along with the provisions for the redress by way of the petitions to the Government and to the Parliament could adequately remedy the ‘citizens’ grievances and control the arbitrariness’ of the executive, but with the increasing activities of