Ombudsman as a Watchdog of Administration in India

Ombudsman is a public officer who acts independently and non-patisanly and his function is to supervise the administration. He deals with the specific allegations or complaints from the public against administrative injustice and maladministration. The duties of an Ombudsman are to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them, usually through recommendations or mediation. For a nation to prosper, the administrative side of the nation has to function properly and efficiently and it has to be ensured that there is no corruption in the sphere of administration, because corruption is the biggest hindrance in the development of any nation. The Ombudsman plays a vital role in tackling the issue of corruption. In India, this role is played by the Lokpal in the Centre and the Lokayuktas in the State level. This paper traces the evolution of the institution of Ombudsman and analyses how he acts as a watchdog of administration in the Indian context.