The Ombudsman for Local Self Government Institutions, a single member body headed by a former High Court judge

Background

The Local Self Government Department's page on the Ombudsman For LSGI records that the Institution started functioning in the year 2000 as a 7 member body with a Rtd. Judge of the High Court as its Chairman.
It was made a single member body through an amendment of the Panchayath Raj Act in the year 2001.
Under the present law, the page says, only a former judge of High Court can be appointed as Ombudsman.
The department describes it as a high powered quasi judicial body functioning at the state level with its Head Quarters in the State Capital.
The Ombudsman can conduct investigations and enquiries into instances of mal administration, corruption, favouritism, nepotism, lack of integrity, excessive action, inaction and abuse of position.
The department claims that possibly no other State in India has such an institution to oversee the functioning of Local Self Government Institutions.