Lokpal Cancels Controversial Rs 5-Crore Tender To Buy 7 BMW Cars Amid Public Backlash

In a big impact of the CNN-News18 campaign questioning the Lokpal’s move to procure seven expensive BMW cars, the Lokpal of India has now cancelled the controversial order. CNN-News18 has accessed the cancellation order dated December 17, 2025.

The order states the tender has been cancelled “due to administrative reasons/issues” and the decision was taken vide a full bench resolution of Lokpal dated November 27, 2025.

The seven BMW cars were to be procured by the Lokpal of India for its seven members, and a tender was issued last October.

CNN-NEWS18 was the first to report on October 20 last year that the Lokpal of India wanted to buy seven high-end BWM Cars worth nearly Rs 70 lakh each and had floated an official tender for the same on October 16.

The total purchase was worth nearly Rs 5 crore, inviting much criticism.

The Lokpal would have spent over 10 per cent of its annual budget on the purchase of the seven BMWs at nearly Rs 5 crore if it had gone ahead with the purchase. The total budget of the Lokpal for 2025-26 is Rs 44.32 crore, as per documents.

Interestingly, as per the budget and expenditure for Lokpal for 2023-24, Rs 12 lakh was budgeted for “motor vehicles”.

However, the Lokpal did not spend any money in 2023-24 on motor vehicles as the actual expenditure shown is “zero”. Before that, Lokpal had not accounted for any expenditure on motor vehicles.

Former IPS officer and once a proponent of the Jan Lokpal, Kiran Bedi, had slammed the move of the Lokpal to procure BMWs.

Speaking with News18, Bedi said that it was a “truly avoidable decision” as the Lokpal “was not created for extravagance”. She also sat on a dharna with activist Anna Hazare in 2013 to press for a Lokpal.

“Respecting people’s sentiments, Lokpal must say we are now going to buy swadeshi cars. When the Prime Minister is emphasising swadeshi, then why is Lokpal buying foreign cars? Don’t we have good Indian-made cars? The Lokpal decision is totally against the swadeshi mission of PM Modi,” Kiran Bedi said.

The Lokpal presently is a seven-member body with a chairperson and six other members.

“The Lokpal of India invites open tenders from reputed agencies for the supply of seven BMW 3 Series 330 Li Cars to the Lokpal of India,” stated the October 16 document, specifying the model required as Sport (Long Wheelbase) and in white colour.

The Lokpal wanted these cars delivered at its office in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj Institutional Area within preferably two weeks but not later than 30 days from the date of issuing the supply order by the Lokpal.

As per the BMW website, the new BMW 3 Series Long Wheelbase was launched in India earlier this year, and it is the longest car in its segment with the most spacious second seat row.

“The most luxurious rear seat experience with the longest wheelbase in this segment,” says the BMW website about this latest car.

The Lokpal of India is the first institution of its kind established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 to inquire and investigate into allegations of corruption against public functionaries who fall within the scope and ambit of the above Act.

The Lokpal consists of a chairperson and eight members, out of whom four are judicial members.

The salary, allowances, and other conditions of service of the chairperson are the same as those of the Chief Justice of India.

The salary, allowances, and other conditions of service of the members are the same as those of a Supreme Court judge.

The selected vendor or firm was required to conduct a comprehensive, practical and theoretical training programme for the drivers and other designated staff members of the Lokpal of India to ensure efficient, safe, and optimal operation of the BMW vehicles supplied, the document says.

The training was to be conducted for a minimum duration of seven days and was to be completed within 15 days from the date of delivery of vehicles.

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