Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday sharply criticised the Lokpal’s decision to procure luxury BMW sedans for its chairperson and members, calling it an unnecessary expenditure of public money.
‘When SC Judges Use Sedans, Why BMWs for Lokpal?’
Taking to X, Chidambaram drew a pointed comparison with the judiciary. “When Honourable judges of the Supreme Court are provided modest sedans, why do the Chairman and six members of the Lokpal require BMW cars? Why spend public money to acquire these cars? I hope that at least one or two members of the Lokpal have refused, or will refuse, to accept these cars,” he said.
His remarks came after reports that the Lokpal of India has initiated a tender to acquire high-end BMW 330 Li (Long Wheel Base) cars, each priced at over Rs 60 lakh.
Tender Floated For BMW 330 Li Cars
According to the public tender notice, the Lokpal plans to purchase seven BMW 330 Li vehicles through an open bidding process. The evaluation of bids is scheduled to begin on November 7.
Sources indicated that the total cost of the procurement is expected to exceed Rs 5 crore. Once the vehicles are delivered, BMW will reportedly provide a seven-day training programme for drivers and staff, covering the cars’ systems and operational features.
Officials said the procurement aims to meet the administrative and logistical needs of the anti-corruption body, which continues to formalise its infrastructure.
Political Leaders Slam Move As ‘Luxury Excess’
The move has invited sharp political criticism, particularly from opposition leaders who questioned the optics of a corruption watchdog opting for premium luxury vehicles.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said the Lokpal should have chosen Made-in-India cars in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swadeshi’ push.
“Lokpal, a defunct organisation, hardly handled any corruption cases. BJP accused the UPA govt of corruption — least Lokpal should have probed them. Why go for such luxury car?” he wrote on X.
Calling the institution “futile”, Dikshit added, “This speaks about the futility of this institution, it should be done away with asap. Lokpal has become parking for post-retirement jobs.”
Another Congress leader, Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, echoed the criticism, alleging that the Lokpal has failed to deliver on its anti-corruption mandate. “The Lokpal which was supposed to fight corruption in India is now buying 7 luxury BMW cars worth ₹5 crore for its own use. Has anyone ever heard of them solving even a single corruption case in the 11 years of the @narendramodi government?” she wrote.
Calls For Lokpal To Opt For Indian EVs
Adding to the chorus, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant suggested the Lokpal should cancel the BMW tender and instead purchase electric vehicles made by Indian manufacturers. “They need to cancel this tender and go in for @makeinindia Electric Vehicles, either Mahindra’s XEV 9E, BE 6 or Tata’s Harrier EV. They are top-class vehicles,” Kant said on X.
Lokpal Yet To Comment
The Lokpal office has not issued an official response to the criticism. The procurement process, however, remains open for bidding and will be finalised following technical and financial evaluation next month.
