Lokpal, or an ombudsman, essentially means a "representative".
The basic idea of the Lok Pal is borrowed from the office of ombudsman, which has played an effective role in checking corruption and wrong-doing in Scandinavian countries.
The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) set up in 1966 recommended
the constitution of a two-tier machinery - of a Lokpal at the Centre, and Lokayuktas in the states. The institution of a Lokpal was recommended again by the Constitution Review Committee (2002) and the Administrative Reforms Commissions of 2007.
The ARC of 1966 while recommending the constitution of Lokpal was convinced that such an institution was required not only for removing the sense of injustice from the minds of adversely affected citizens but also necessary to instill public confidence in the efficiency of administrative machinery.
The original Lokpal Bill was drawn up in 1968 ostensibly to root out corruption in high places and passed in the 4th Lok Sabha in 1969 but it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
Subsequently, Lokpal bills were introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008, but were never passed.
As many as 18 states have Lokayukta Acts -- Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttara Khand, Uttar Pradesh .However, activists point out that these are quite ineffective .
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