New Delhi, October 23: India’s anti-corruption ombudsman, the Lokpal, has come under fire after issuing a tender to procure seven BMW luxury sedans for its members, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from public figures and social media users questioning the optics and necessity of the purchase.
According to a tender notice dated October 16, the Lokpal invited bids from reputed agencies for the supply of seven BMW 3 Series 330Li M Sport (long wheelbase, white) cars. The tender requires the vehicles to be delivered “preferably within two weeks, but not later than 30 days” from the date of the supply order, with no extensions permitted. Bids are due by November 6 and will be opened the following day.
The Lokpal, a statutory body set up to investigate corruption allegations against public officials, is currently a seven-member panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice A.M. Khanwilkar. Other members include former high court judges Sanjay Yadav, Ritu Raj Awasthi, and L. Narayana Swamy, as well as former Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, former Gujarat Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar, and former Women and Child Development Secretary Ajay Tikrey. None of them were available for comment on Tuesday.
The tender has raised eyebrows given the Lokpal’s mandate to uphold probity in public life. Critics said the purchase of imported luxury cars sends the wrong message at a time when the government is pushing for indigenously manufactured vehicles.
Amitabh Kant, former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, called on the Lokpal to cancel the tender and opt instead for Made-in-India electric vehicles such as Mahindra’s XEV 9E or Tata’s Harrier EV. “They need to cancel this tender and go for Make in India electric vehicles. They are top-class vehicles,” Kant wrote on social media platform X.
Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan also criticised the move, alleging that members were “buying ₹70-lakh BMW cars for themselves.” Incidentally, the Chief Justice of India is provided a Mercedes-Benz, while Supreme Court judges use BMW 3 Series cars, the same model specified in the Lokpal’s tender.
The controversy has reignited debate over the spending priorities and transparency of high-level statutory bodies entrusted with enforcing accountability.
