The Foundation Day of the Lokpal of India was held on 16^th January. It is this day, the Lokpal of India was established by virtue of coming into force of Section 3 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, on 16.01.2014.

The function was held at Lokpal of India office, New Delhi in the august presence of the Shri Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Chairperson and Hon’ble Members of Lokpal of India. Last year, Lokpal Day 2025 was commemorated for the first time as a premier event, with participation of High dignitaries and stakeholders at the Maneckshaw Centre, New Delhi. However, this year, as the Lokpal is required to observe austerity in spending owing to budgetary control, the Lokpal was impelled to celebrate this important milestone event in the history of Lokpal of India inhouse, within its campus in a modest way.

Dignitaries who graced the occasion were Shri Justice Lingappa Narayana Swami, Judicial Member, Shri Justice Sanjay Yadav, Judicial Member, Shri Sushil Chandra, Member, Shri Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Judicial Member, Shri Pankaj Kumar, Member, Shri Ajay Tirkey, Member.

The function started with the welcoming of the Chief Guest, Shri Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Chairperson; followed by ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Saraswati Vandana’.

While welcoming the Chief Guest, Shri Justice Lingappa Narayana Swami, Member Lokpal in his speech stated, “This day holds special importance in the democratic journey of our nation, as it marks the establishment of the Lokpal of India, an institution envisioned to uphold integrity, accountability, and transparency in public life. This day is for reflection on what we as an Institution has been through, on the progress made so far, to reaffirm our commitment to ethical governance, and to strengthen mechanisms that promote vigilance, fairness, and public trust. The Lokpal Day is not just a commemoration, it’s a chance and a responsibility to pause, to look back as to why this institution was created, and to ask ourselves where we stand today, and where we must go next.”

In his speech, the Chairperson, Lokpal of India, Shri Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, remembered the efforts and sacrifice of countless individuals whose vision and sacrifice have brought us here and among them, the name of Padma Bhushan Shri Anna Hazare stands out. He also recalled the work of Justice N. Santosh Hegde, former Judge of Supreme Court of India and then Lokayukta of Karnataka. All these endeavors resulted into establishment of the institution of Lokpal by enactment of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, in response to a long drawn public demand and their aspiration for an autonomous, independent and sui generis mechanism to inquire into allegations of corruption against public functionaries, including at the highest level.

In one sense, it is a Body by the people, of the people and for the people. while highlighting the significance of Lokpal of India stated, “The Lokpal of India occupies a unique position in our democratic polity. It stands as a symbol of public trust, entrusted with the responsibility of inquiring and investigating complaint(s) with fairness, objectivity, and independence, while ensuring adherence to due process and the rule of law”. He underscored the growing public faith in this institution by mentioning, “The number of complaints received in the Lokpal has increased steadily over the last two years. The projected number of complaints for the Year 2025-26 shows an exponential increase in comparison to the complaints registered during the year 2024-25. The rise in complaints is not just a statistic - It’s a reflection of increased citizen engagement. It also signifies that citizens are more aware of their rights and moral duty and are becoming more confident in approaching the Lokpal for redressal. The Number of sittings held by Benches has risen consistently, showing a proactive approach of handling cases swiftly.

This has ensured minimal pendency resulting in timely and efficient disposal of complaints.” The Chairperson further stated, “We accept our responsibility to be transparent, consistent and accountable. But we also recognize our duty to be just. For true justice demands patience, not performance. The Lokpal’s independence lies not in how loudly it declares it, but in how quietly and courageously it exercises it.”

Reaffirming the commitment of the Lokpal for clean and accountable governance, the Chairperson resolved, “On this Lokpal Day, let us renew our collective resolve to serve the nation with honesty, courage and humility. Let us reaffirm our faith in constitutional values and rededicate ourselves to the objective of fostering clean and accountable governance, in accordance with the rule of law.” The Chairperson reminded every citizen, every Non-Resident Indian, every Overseas Citizen of India, that they are the ground soldiers fighting corruption and if they opt to remain silent, that silence too is a form of corruption. He recalled what Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression of the bad people, but the silence of the good people.”

The Chairperson expressed confidence by saying, “with this continued zeal and enthusiasm, the Lokpal of India will further strengthen its institutional capacity and continue to discharge its statutory mandate in a manner that inspires public trust and confidence.”

During today’s event, newly built state of the art IT infrastructure and Data Centre of the Lokpal was also inaugurated. This is aimed at providing end to end robust and digitized, paperless processing of complaints to enhance efficiency and ensure confidentiality.

On this occasion, the winners of the competitions held by the Lokpal, on International Anti-Corruption Day on 09.12.2025, were felicitated.

Longest serving staff members of the Lokpal were also felicitated in recognition of their contribution to the institution.  In addition, children of officers and staff of Lokpal, who have excelled in academic/sports/music/dance/art or literature activities were also felicitated.

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NKR/AK

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