Lokpal’s luxury drive into controversy

The Lokpal of India, conceived as an independent and austere anti-corruption watchdog, now finds itself battling a controversy of its own making. By floating a tender for seven BMW 3 Series Li sedans, each reportedly costing around ¥70 lakh, the institution has caused public outrage. The move appears tonedeaf, particularly for an agency born out of the 2011 anti-corruption movement that sought to promote integrity, transparency, and accountability in public life.

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That this controversy involves a body established to combat corruption and promote probity makes it doubly damaging. It has eroded the symbolic moral high ground the Lokpal was meant to occupy. Former Puducherry Lt-Governor Kiran Bedi, who was part of the original India Against Corruption (IAC) movement led by Anna Hazare, has openly questioned the need for such luxury vehicles. Her rebuke reflects disillusionment among those who once viewed the Lokpal as a corrective moral force within Indian polity.

The Lokpal Act, enacted in 2013 and operationalised in 2019, was designed to investigate corruption allegations against public servants, including those at the highest levels. Its credibility was

Lokpal’s plan to buy luxury BMWs undermines its anti-corruption ideals and erodes its moral authority