The Lokpal of India, the country’s top anti-corruption watchdog, has invited bids to buy seven BMW luxury sedans, one for each of its members, including Chairperson Justice (Retd) Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar. Each car is priced at around ₹70 lakh, according to the tender document.

A notification issued on October 16 stated, 

“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.”

As per the notice, the offers will remain valid for 90 days from the date of opening.

Reports also said that BMW will provide a seven-day training session for Lokpal drivers and staff, focusing on the cars’ electronic systems and operations.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, including activists and political leaders, who questioned the need for such high-end cars for an anti-corruption body.

Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan was among the first to react, saying,

“The government has ground to dust the Lokpal by appointing servile members who are not bothered by graft and are happy with their luxuries. They are now buying 70L BMW cars for themselves!”

The Congress youth wing also took a dig at the decision, stating,

“The institution of Lokpal, once a symbol of accountability, lies in ruins... Why is the government buying luxury foreign cars for a body that is missing key appointments?”

The decision also sparked a wave of sarcasm online. Many X (formerly Twitter) users criticised the move as wasteful. One user wrote,

“They are buying a car worth Rs 70 lakh. They can even buy a Rolls-Royce worth Rs 12 crore... but they are not, because they are simple, down-to-earth people. That is why they went for BMW instead...”

About the Lokpal

The Lokpal was set up as an anti-corruption authority to investigate complaints against public officials. However, in recent years, critics have accused it of becoming less active and losing public trust, a concern that has now resurfaced with this controversy over luxury cars