By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JAN 17, 2025: THE Foundation Day of the Lokpal of India was held for the first time on 16th January at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi in the august presence of the Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

It is this day, the Lokpal of India was established by virtue of coming into force of Section 3 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013,  on 16.01.2014.

Dignitaries who graced the occasion were Justice N.Santosh  Hegde, former Judge Supreme Court of India and former Lokayukta, Karnataka, Padma Bhushan Anna Hazare, R.Venkataramani, Attorney General of India, Judges of the Supreme Court,  Chief Justices of the High Courts, Judges of High Courts, Lokayukta of States, former and present Members of the  Lokpal of India, Office Bearers of the Bar Council of India, Supreme Court Bar Association,  Supreme Court Advocate on Record Association and Delhi Bar Association. Principal District and Session Judges and Additional District and Session Judges of Delhi Judiciary. 

Padma Bhushan Anna Hazare joined the Commemoration through virtual mode.

Officers of various organisations like the CAG, CBI, CVC and CVOs of Public Sector undertakings were also present.

The function started with the welcoming of the Chief Guest, Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjiv Khanna. While welcoming the Chief Guest, Dignitaries, and Delegates  Justice Lingappa Narayana Swami, Member Lokpal in his speech stated that - "This occasion holds immense significance, not only as a day of reflection but as a reaffirmation of our collective commitment.".

In his speech, the Chairperson, Lokpal of India, Justice  A.M.Khanwilkar,  while elucidating that the emergence of Lokpal of India is "a significant milestone born out of a transformative Civil Society movement demanding an Ombudsman to Combat Corruption". He said - "This day, 16th of January, is not merely a celebration of the establishment of the Lokpal as an autonomous, independent and sui generis institution. It is also about the portrayal of the resolute commitment of all the like-minded to the core values that form the very foundation of our democracy and espousing corruption free governance at every level.". While emphasizing that "the Lokpal is a vital instrumentality, in the ongoing mission of eradication of Corruption in public offices, Justice Khanwilkar underscored that "The challenges before the Lokpal are ever evolving. Because the model of corruption is evolving. The nexus between politicians, bureaucrats, and business interests has only grown stronger. That warrants continued vigilance and timely and effective follow up cleansing mechanism." 

Speaking about the vision as to how the functioning of the Lokpal will, Justice Khanwilkar stated in his speech that multipronged strategies to strengthen the functioning of the  Lokpal have been formulated. Such as, simplification of process of registering the complaint and making it stakeholder friendly, integration of State-of-the-art technology and systems to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of processes, harnessing Artificial Intelligence applications for efficient data management and analysis, prioritising the recruitment of personnel with specialised expertise including in forensic accounting and cyber investigation to address increasingly sophisticated nature of corruption, propagating increased collaboration with Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBI), Vigilance Commissions (CVC and CVOs ), other law enforcing agencies, and the Judiciary, for creating a cohesive and united front in the fight against corruption.

While acknowledging the importance of having an informed populace, Justice Khanwilkar further stated that "we believe that a society aware of its rights and enjoys ease of access to the  institution meant to protect them is one step closer to creating an environment that will no longer tolerate corruption". 

Vouchsafing to have a corruption-free Bharat, the Chairperson assured that the Lokpal will continue to expand its reach, improve the processes, and strengthen the public's trust in the institution.

Thereafter, Justice N.Santosh Hegde and R.Venkatramani were felicitated by the Chief Guest. Whereas, Padma Bhushan Anna Hazare was felicitated by Binod Kumar, Under Secretary, Lokpal of India at Ralegaon Siddhi on behalf of the Chief Guest.  

While underscoring the contribution of Padma Bhushan Anna Hazare of having led one of the largest public movements against the corruption in recent time, the Chief Justice of India stated that Lokpal upholds the principle central to our democracy - that power must be wielded responsibly and government must adhere to ethics, accountability and transparency. He further stated that the Lokpal is paramount to our constitutional scheme as it provides an antidote to the poison of corruption, a menace that has plagued democracies worldwide.

Dwelling on the significance of public trust and its importance, the Chief Justice stated that the belief that the governments will act fairly and in the public interest is the bedrock of democracy and good governance. Without trust, he said no system, howsoever intricate or well-designed can function effectively.

Stating that the corruption is not limited to headline making scandals but permeates daily life affecting the most disadvantaged. It leads to unfair allocation of resources which undermines equality. Each act of corruption erodes public trust.

Highlighting the importance of the anticorruption body which upholds transparency and accountability, the Chief Justice of India stated that they mediate between citizens and public administration.

Stating the challenges before the Lokpal, he underscored the smooth coordination with bodies like the Central Vigilance Commission is vital.

The Chief Justice of India stated that the public trust depends on the Lokpal's independence, objectivity and performance. He also called upon the citizens to actively engage in reporting corruption and that educating the public about their role is essential.

A video film on the journey of the Lokpal exhibiting the evolution of the Lokpal and the way forward, prepared by the IT Section of Lokpal was also displayed on the occasion. It was followed by a short Documentary film prepared by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting projecting the working of Lokpal.

Justice Sanjay Yadav, Member, Lokpal proposed the formal Vote of thanks the Foundation  Day function ended with the National Anthem.