Sharp Decline in Public Complaints Received by Lokpal; Only 233 Cases Registered in 2025-26
Data reveals a significant drop in complaints filed with the Lokpal, falling from 2,469 in 2022-23 to just 233 in the current year (up to September). Since its inception in 2019, the anti-corruption body has received 6,955 complaints, but only 289 preliminary inquiries were ordered, and prosecution sanctions were granted in only seven cases. Activists have raised concerns regarding the lack of annual reports since 2021-22 and the dismissal of many complaints on technical grounds, suggesting a decline in public engagement and institutional effectiveness.
Key Points
- The Lokpal has jurisdiction over corruption allegations against the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, and MPs.
- Public engagement has nosedived, with 90% of total complaints filed in the first four years of its establishment.
- Only 7 prosecution sanctions have been granted out of nearly 7,000 complaints received since 2019.
- The prosecution wing was only notified in June 2025, twelve years after the Lokpal law was enacted.
Exam Facts
- Total complaints registered since 2019: 6,955.
- Preliminary inquiries ordered: 289; Prosecution sanctions granted: 7.
- The Lokpal currently has seven members, including Chairperson Justice A.M. Khanwilkar.
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