Lokpal Wants To 'Ride In Style': Watchdog Seeks 7 BMW Cars Worth Rs 70 Lakh Each

New Delhi: In the process of gearing up for a luxury upgrade, India’s top anti-corruption watchdog, the Lokpal of India, has found itself in the eye of a storm after inviting bids to buy seven BMW 330Li M Sport (Long Wheel Base) sedans. According to open-source data, each car is priced at over Rs 70 lakh, taking the total value of the proposed purchase to nearly Rs 5 crore.

According to the tender document, the copy of which is with Republic, the bids for the procurement have been invited through an open process, with the technical evaluation scheduled for November 7. The selected vendor will be required to deliver the vehicles to the Lokpal’s office in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj Institutional Area within two weeks and in any case not later than 30 days from the issue of the supply order.

The specifications of the vehicles read like a premium brochure — the 330Li M Sport comes with a 1,998 cc petrol engine producing 258 hp and 400 Nm torque, an 8-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive with Comfort, EcoPro and Sport modes.

According to the tender document , the cars are required to be 'white, equipped with 3-zone automatic air conditioning, multiple airbags, lateral and reversing parking assist, ABS with brake assist, Dynamic Stability Control and runflat tyres'. Each vehicle must also include the BMW Secure Advance package, covering tyres, alloys, engine protection and 24X7 roadside assistance, the requirements state.

The notification, dated October 16, said each designated driver should be imparted training under the supervision of qualified trainers provided by the vendor and the entire cost of organising and conducting the training programme, including trainer honorarium, travel, accommodation (if required), fuel, materials, and logistics, shall be borne exclusively by the vendor.

According to the tender notice, the offers will remain valid for 90 days from the date of opening.

However, what might have been a routine government procurement has triggered widespread backlash online, with many users questioning the need for a luxury fleet for an institution tasked with investigating corruption and misuse of public office. 

Critics on social media called it “ironic” and “tone-deaf”, while others demanded greater transparency on official vehicle use.

In a post on X, activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan said, “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!”

The Congress' youth wing also reacted sharply. "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?" it said on X. Several users crticised the anti-corruption watchdog, saying the very institution meant to check corruption was now drowning in the same luxury it was supposed to question.

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