Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has declined the invitation sent by the government to participate in the meeting to select Lokpal. The government invited Kharge to participate in the meeting of the search committee as a "special invitee".

In response, Kharge has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi refusing to attend the meeting of selection committee for Lokpal appointment. The meeting was scheduled for today in New Delhi where an "eminent jurist" was to be picked as Lokpal.

The Lokpal selection committee comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan besides the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. As the government decided, after Lok Sabha elections in 2014, not accord the official position to Congress leader in the House, the Congress has rejected the government's invitation extended to Kharge.

Earlier, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had questioned PM Modi over delay in appointment of Lokpal despite a Supreme Court direction. Hearing a PIL, the Supreme Court in April last year directed the government to immediately appoint a Lokpal as mandated under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act.

The Supreme Court had rejected the government's argument that in the absence of recognised Leader of Opposition and a pending Amendment Bill to correct certain flaws, appointment of Lokpal could not be made.

A Bill seeking to amend the Lokapal law providing for inclusion of the leader of the largest Opposition party in the search committee in the absence of formal Leader of Opposition is pending before Parliament.

Responding to the Supreme Court's directive, the government, earlier this month, told it that the leader of the largest Opposition party would be invited to attend the meeting of the search committee on March 1. With Congress declining the invitation extended to Kharge has led to fresh uncertainty over appointment of Lokpal.

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