India’s anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal has scrapped its controversial plan to procure seven luxury BMW cars worth nearly ₹5 crore, officials confirmed on January 1. The decision comes two months after the tender was floated and following sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups.
The cancellation was approved by a full bench resolution of the Lokpal, after which a formal corrigendum dated December 16, 2025 was issued. The original tender, floated on October 16, 2025, had invited bids for seven BMW 3 Series 330Li (M Sport) long-wheelbase sedans, proposed to be allotted to the Lokpal chairperson and six members.
The Lokpal, currently headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, can have up to eight members—four judicial and four non-judicial. The estimated on-road cost in New Delhi for the proposed fleet was around ₹5 crore.
The move had sparked a political and public controversy, with critics accusing the anti-graft body of prioritising luxury over ethics. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh mocked the institution as “Shauq Pal”, while former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant publicly urged the Lokpal to drop the plan and instead opt for electric vehicles made in India.
Notably, the tender had also mandated the selected vendor to provide detailed classroom and on-road training for Lokpal drivers, covering vehicle controls, safety systems, emergency handling, fuel efficiency and driving modes specific to the BMW 330Li.
Following sustained criticism, the watchdog has now withdrawn the procurement entirely, bringing an end to one of its most debated administrative decisions in recent times.
