Section 2 of LLA : Section 2: Definitions

Explanation using Example

Imagine that an employee of a government department suspects that their supervisor, who is a high-ranking officer, is involved in corrupt practices. The employee decides to file a complaint with the Lokpal. In this scenario:

• The "bench" refers to the group of members within the Lokpal who would hear the complaint.
• The "Chairperson" is the leader of the Lokpal, who may oversee the proceedings related to the complaint.
• The "competent authority" for the high-ranking officer would be the Minister in charge of the department where the officer is serving.
• A "complaint" is the formal accusation made by the employee, which needs to be in the prescribed form, alleging that the officer has committed an offense under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
• An "investigation" might be initiated by the Lokpal to look into the allegations made in the complaint.
• If the complaint is found to have merit, a "preliminary inquiry" may be conducted as per the Act.
• The accused officer is considered a "public servant" under the Act, and therefore, the complaint is within the jurisdiction of the Lokpal.

This example demonstrates how the definitions provided in Section 2 of The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, are applied in the context of a complaint against a government officer.