House panel for PM under Lokpal
Judges, MPs not included in its report
After wrestling with the issue for weeks, the parliamentary committee drafting the Lokpal bill has recommended inclusion of Prime Minister within the ambit of the central ombudsman with some safeguards along with two other options and left it to the “good sense” of Parliament to decide on the final choice.
The Committee, however, favoured excluding the conduct of MPs in Parliament and recommended that chief ministers be covered by Lokayuktas.
The Parliamentary Committee on Personnel and Law and Justice which will meet on Wednesday to adopt its report, has decided leave the present process of appointment of CBI Director untouched.
In its 199-page report, the Committee favoured 50 per cent reservation to members of SC/ST, OBC, minorities and women in the seven-member search committee to select the Lokpal. It has also recommended that the search committee be mandatory.
The report also favours inclusion of group C and D employees in States under Lokayuktas. It also recommended that if the report is accepted by the law ministry, the bill to be based on it should be titled Lokpal/Lokayukta Bill, 2011.
The recommendation for inclusion of Prime Minister excluding his decisions on national security, foreign affairs, atomic energy and space along with issues which come under “national interest” and “public order” marks a change from the earlier draft that was silent on the issue.
While members of parties belonging to BJP, BJD and the Left insisted on inclusion of the prime minister, representatives of the Congress and some small parties, constituting a majority in the 30-member committee, opposed it or favour PM’s inclusion only after the person demits office.
Discussing various options on prime minister, the committee recommended three options: inclusion without exception and qualifications, inclusion with no exclusionary caveats but after demitting office and inclusion of the Pm with exclusions on issues like national security and foreign affairs.
“...without going into the figures for or against or into the names of individual members, the Committee believes that, in fairness, all these three options be transmitted by the committee as options suggested by the committee.
