NEW DELHI, Sept 20 — The Lokpal, India’s anti-corruption ombudsman, is inviting applications from retired government officials, particularly those with experience in central investigative agencies like the CBI and ED, to serve as consultants. These consultants will assist in conducting preliminary inquiries into corruption complaints.
The Lokpal has announced six consultant positions, which include roles such as a “Personal Assistant,” consultant-deputy director/superintendent of police, and consultant inquiry/investigation officers.
Eligibility criteria specify that applicants for the consultant-deputy director position should be retired officers from the Central Armed Police Forces or Group-A organized services, with at least five years of experience in inquiries or investigations related to general, economic, banking, or cyber matters.
This recruitment initiative is significant as the Lokpal recently established an inquiry wing to conduct preliminary investigations into corruption-related offenses by public servants. This marks the first major development since the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was enacted in 2013, with the agency officially starting operations in March 2019.
Section 11 of the Lokpal Act mandates the formation of an inquiry wing to handle complaints under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. A decision to establish this wing was made during a Lokpal meeting on August 30, 2024. The inquiry wing will be led by a director of inquiry, supported by three superintendents of police focused on general, economic, and cyber matters.
The latest circular specifies that retired officials with at least three years of investigative experience can apply for the two consultant-inquiry/investigation officer positions. For the consultant-assistant inquiry/investigation officer roles, candidates need a minimum of two years of relevant experience.
Remuneration for these positions will be calculated based on a formula considering the last basic pay minus basic pension, excluding dearness allowance, as per the circular issued on September 18.
Additionally, the Lokpal has revised job titles within the inquiry wing. The position of SP is now referred to as deputy director/superintendent of police (Lokpal), while investigation and assistant investigation officers have been renamed to inquiry/investigation officers and assistant inquiry/investigation officers, respectively. These changes take effect immediately.
