(1) The Search Committee shall prepare a panel of persons to be considered by the Selection Committee for appointment as the Chairperson and Members of the Lokpal, from amongst the list of persons provided by the Central Government in the Department of Personnel and Training.
(2) The Central Government shall for the purposes of sub-rule (1),––
(i) circulate the vacancies to the Registrar of the Supreme Court and Registrars of High Courts, Chief Secretaries of the State Governments and Secretaries in the Departments and Ministries of the Central Government calling for nomination of eligible candidates; and
(ii) advertise the vacancies to directly invite applications from the eligible candidates:
Provided that in case of applicants applying directly, the applicants shall furnish a letter of recommendation from one eminent person who is or has been associated with vigilance or dealing with anticorruption issues.
(3) The Search Committee may, for the purpose of short-listing of persons, adopt such short-listing norms, which shall not be less than the criteria specified in sub-rule (4).
(4) In case of persons falling under clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Act, such persons having special knowledge and expertise of not less than twenty-five years in matters relating to,-
(i) anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance or law and such persons must have held or must be holding the post of Secretary to the Government of India or any equivalent post thereto under the Central Government or a State Government;
(ii) finance including insurance and banking, and management and such persons must have held or must be holding the position of Chairman, Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer of a Public Sector Undertaking or of a relevant private institution of comparable status, and who have attained outstanding achievements or acquired eminence in the fields aforesaid:
Provided that in case of a person holding the position in a private institution referred to in sub-clause (ii), the consideration of such person shall be subject to his furnishing a declaration about his willingness to comply with the requirements of sub-section (4) of section 3 of the Act as regards holding of any office of trust or profit or carrying on any business or practising any profession.
(5) The Search Committee may devise its own procedure or lay down guidelines for evaluating persons for the purpose of empanelment.