The Supreme Court on Friday rebuked Centre over the sluggish pace of progress in selection of Lokpal and directed it to place on record steps taken by the Search Committee pertaining to appointment of Lokpal.

The matter will be heard again on Jan 17.

The bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul was hearing a plea seeking appointment of anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal.

The search committee for the appointment of Lokpal comprises the PM, the CJI (Justice Dipak Misra), an eminent jurist (former Attorney General and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi) and the leader of the Opposition (Mallikarjun Kharge). The selection of the opposition leader has been contested by the BJP. As per the constitution to qualify as Opposition, a party should have at least 10 percent of the seats, which the Congress does not. As per the Lokpal Act the Opposition Leader, hence, is missing. Without the core committee it has become impossible to select even a search committee.

—India Legal Bureau