Lokpal Sparks Outrage By Seeking Seven Luxury BMWs, Netizens And Leaders Slam Move

The Lokpal of India has triggered widespread criticism after floating a public tender to procure seven BMW 330 Li (Long Wheel Base) vehicles, each costing over Rs 60 lakh, the Hindustan Times reported.

The notice, dated 16 October, specifies that bids can be submitted from 17 October to 6 November, with evaluation set to begin on 7 November.

“The Lokpal of India invites open tenders from reputed Agencies for the supply of seven BMW 3 Series Li Cars to the Lokpal of India,” the notice reads. The vehicles are expected to be delivered within two weeks, and no extension will be granted.

In addition to the luxury cars, the Lokpal requires the vendor to conduct a “comprehensive practical and theoretical training programme for the drivers and other designated staff members” for a minimum of seven days, to be completed within 15 days of delivery.

“The training programme shall comprise both classroom sessions and on-road practical sessions,” the notice states. The vendor must bear all associated costs, including trainer fees, travel, accommodation, fuel, materials, and logistics.

The procurement has sparked a social media backlash, with lawyer Prashant Bhushan criticising the move: “The institution of Lokpal has been ground to dust by the Modi govt, by keeping it vacant for many years & then appointing servile members who are not bothered by graft & are happy with their luxuries. They are now buying 70L BMW cars for themselves!”

Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed also condemned the tender, tweeting, “Lokpal wants to buy 7 luxury BMW cars worth Rs 5 crore for itself. This is the same institution that was supposed to fight corruption after the so-called ‘India Against Corruption’ movement — a movement backed by the RSS and designed only to bring down the Congress government.”

The tender notice has reignited debate over the spending priorities of India’s top anti-corruption body, raising questions about the optics of luxury procurement by an institution tasked with promoting accountability.

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