--- title: "Lokpal of India: National Anti-Corruption Ombudsman" description: "The Lokpal of India is the national anti-corruption ombudsman that investigates allegations against public officials, including the Prime Minister." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/lokpal-of-india" --- [New](https://modeldiplomat.com/) # Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026 TL;DR - The Lokpal of India is the national anti-corruption ombudsman established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, to inquire into corruption allegations against public functionaries including the Prime Minister. - Is the Lokpal a constitutional or statutory body? - Can the Lokpal investigate the Prime Minister? - How is the Lokpal chairperson appointed? - How does the Lokpal differ from the Central Vigilance Commission? [Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026 Go beyond the definition ## Research Lokpal of India like a delegate Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students. ## Timeline 1. 1 January 2014 The Lokpal of India is the country's apex anti-corruption ombudsman, created by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which received presidential assent on a… 2. 16 January 2014 The Lokpal of India is the country's apex anti-corruption ombudsman, created by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which received presidential assent on 1… 3. 23 March 2019 An amendment in 2016 addressed related questions, and the first chairperson, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, a former Supreme Court judge, was sworn in on by… ## Positions at a glance ### Supporters Persistent controversies surround the institution. Critics note the dilution of citizen power compared with the original Jan Lokpal Bill, the exclusion of the judiciary from its ambit, the dependence on government for staffing and budgetary support, and the safeguards shielding the Prime Minister. The long delay between enactment and operationalisation drew Supreme Court intervention, and the Common Cause litigation pressed the government to expedite appointments. Questions over whistleblower protection persist because the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014, has not been operationalised through rules, leaving complainants exposed. Vacancies in the post of chairperson and members following the expiry of the initial terms further weakened continuity, and disposal of high-profile complaints has been limited. ### Opponents The Lokpal of India is the country's apex anti-corruption ombudsman, created by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which received presidential assent on 1 January 2014 and came into force on 16 January 2014. The institution's intellectual lineage traces to the Administrative Reforms Commission chaired by Morarji Desai, whose 1966 interim report recommended a two-tier ombudsman modelled on the Scandinavian institution and the New Zealand parliamentary commissioner. Although Lokpal bills were introduced in Parliament repeatedly from 1968 onwards, all lapsed; the eventual statute was the direct product of the India Against Corruption movement led by Anna Hazare in 2011, whose fasts at Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Maidan forced the United Progressive Alliance government to constitute a Joint Drafting Committee. The Lokpal is a statutory body, not a constitutional one, distinguishing it from offices created by amendment such as the Comptroller and Auditor General under Article 148. ## Research it like a delegate Research on modeldiplomat.com ## Ask a follow-up about Lokpal of India Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers. [Start research on Lokpal of India](https://modeldiplomat.com/search?q=Explain%20Lokpal%20of%20India%20%E2%80%94%20key%20dates%2C%20actors%2C%20positions%2C%20and%20sources) Example In March 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the first Chairperson of the Lokpal of India, more than five years after the 2013 Act took effect. Keep learning ## Go deeper than the definition [Explore all Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams lessons](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services)[Test yourself with a quiz](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/quiz/civil-services) ## Take Lokpal of India beyond the glossary Ask the AI research engine built for diplomacy — get briefings, position papers, and speeches with sources you can cite in committee.