Supreme Court asks Centre to file affidavit on steps taken to appoint Lokpal 

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to file an affidavit on the steps taken for the appointment of Lokpal by January 17. Expressing displeasure over the delay in the selection process, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked, “Too much time has gone by. What steps have you taken till now?” 

Attorney General K K Venugopal told the court that many steps had been undertaken since September to set up the Lokpal and sought permission to place before the bench a prepared note. But the bench declined to accept the note and said, “Bring everything on record what you have done since September 2018.”
The court was hearing a 2014 contempt petition filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan-led NGO Common Cause.

The search committee will forward the names to the selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the leader of the largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha, the Speaker and an eminent jurist.
The SC has repeatedly hauled up the government for failing to appoint a Lokpal. The Centre, on its part, has argued that in the absence of a Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the selection committee could not be constituted.