<p>Eminent jurist Fali Nariman has refused to be part of the process to select the names for various posts of Lokpal, saying he fears that the multi- layered procedure could overlook the most competent, independent and courageous persons.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In a letter to V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Nariman said he declines the "honour" to be part of the committee.<br /><br />"In my humble view, this is no way in which an institution as vital and as important as the Lokpal is to be constituted.<br /><br />"The chairperson and members of the Lokpal as ultimately selected may well be projected as democratically chosen by a broad consensus from amongst two levels of selectors (upper and lower), but it is precisely for that reason that I do fear that the most competent the most independent and the most courageous will get overlooked," he wrote.<br /><br />Government had offered him to be a part of the search committee on February 21.His name was proposed by a five-member selection committee to be a part of the eight member search committee under the Lokpal Act.<br /><br />The search committee will scrutinise the applications received for the post of chairperson and eight members (four judicial and four non-judicial) and forward the names to the selection committee.<br /><br />The selection committee comprises Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Supreme Court judge H L Dattu - a nominee of the Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and jurist P P Rao.Swaraj was outvoted on the choice of Rao, whom she had described as a "Congress loyalist".<br /><br />She is believed to have recommended the names of Nariman and senior lawyer Harish Salve for the selection committee. </p>
<p>Eminent jurist Fali Nariman has refused to be part of the process to select the names for various posts of Lokpal, saying he fears that the multi- layered procedure could overlook the most competent, independent and courageous persons.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In a letter to V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Nariman said he declines the "honour" to be part of the committee.<br /><br />"In my humble view, this is no way in which an institution as vital and as important as the Lokpal is to be constituted.<br /><br />"The chairperson and members of the Lokpal as ultimately selected may well be projected as democratically chosen by a broad consensus from amongst two levels of selectors (upper and lower), but it is precisely for that reason that I do fear that the most competent the most independent and the most courageous will get overlooked," he wrote.<br /><br />Government had offered him to be a part of the search committee on February 21.His name was proposed by a five-member selection committee to be a part of the eight member search committee under the Lokpal Act.<br /><br />The search committee will scrutinise the applications received for the post of chairperson and eight members (four judicial and four non-judicial) and forward the names to the selection committee.<br /><br />The selection committee comprises Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Supreme Court judge H L Dattu - a nominee of the Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and jurist P P Rao.Swaraj was outvoted on the choice of Rao, whom she had described as a "Congress loyalist".<br /><br />She is believed to have recommended the names of Nariman and senior lawyer Harish Salve for the selection committee. </p>