Former Supreme Court Judge K T Thomas has turned down the offer to head the Lokpal Search Committee. Speaking to a news agency over phone, Mr. Thomas said that he has written to the Prime Minister's Office, expressing his disinclination to head the Lokpal Search Committee.

The former Judge said that the Search Committee was to recommend the names to the Select Committee which need or need not to accept those names. So, it was not worthwhile to have this Search Committee and that's why he turned down the offer.

Earlier, Jurist Fali Nariman also refused to be part of the Lokpal search panel, voicing fears that the best will be overlooked by the multi-layered procedure.

Meanwhile, BJP described the the resignation of Justice Thomas from the Lokpal Committee Search Panel as an embarrassment to the government. Talking to newsperson, party spokesperson Prakash Javdekar said before quitting, the UPA government wants to appoint those people who can work in its favour as large number of case against Congress men will come into the ambit of Lok Pal.

Refuting the BJP's allegations the Congress said that the resignation is in no way embarrassment to the Centre as Lokpal is a statutory body not an executive one. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that Justice Thomas should have registered his resentment during the last Parliament proceedings when the Lokpal structure was discussed.