High-powered committee to meet on July 19 over appointment of Lokpal: Centre tells SC

The bench said that since the selection committee was scheduled to meet on July 19, it would not pass any direction.

NEW DELHI: A high-powered committee will be meeting on July 19 over the appointment of Lokpal, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The committee will be meeting with the aim to constitute a search panel that will recommend a panel of names for appointing a Lokpal.

The bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that since the selection committee was scheduled to meet on July 19, it would not pass any direction. The matter has been fixed for further hearing on July 24.

The committee comprises of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, Lok Sabha Speaker, the leader of the largest opposition party and an eminent jurist.

The court was hearing a contempt petition, filed by senior advocate Shanti Bhushan on behalf of NGO Common Cause, raising the issue of non-appointment of Lokpal despite the apex court's judgement of April 27 last year.