Cabinet keeps PM and Judiciary off Lokpal purview

PTI

New Delhi, 29 July 2011:  UPA dumps Anna Hazare’s draft; PM, judiciary kept out of the bill’s ambit. Though Manmohan Singh insisted his office be included, ministers decided otherwise after discussing the pitfalls of such a proposal

 

Three months after civil society initiated a movement, the Union Cabinet on Thursday, July 28, 2011, approved the Lokpal Bill keeping the office of the Prime Minister outside its purview during his term in office and also excluded higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside Parliament. 

 Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni briefing the media on the Lokpal Bill

The bill, which has included some of the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by Team Anna Hazare, allows the Lokpal to probe any Union Minister or officials of Group A and above without any sanction. 

 

At the meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh insisted that his office be included in the legislation, but the Cabinet decided otherwise, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the meeting. 

 

She said the Prime Minister was heard with “great respect” but the ministers discussed the “pitfalls” of such a proposal including its possible adverse effect on the stability of a government and creation of uncertainty.

 

Prosecution and investigation wing

The bill will be introduced in Parliament in the first two days of the Monsoon session beginning August 1. 

 

The Lokpal, consisting of a chairperson and eight members, half of them judicial, will have its own prosecution and investigation wing with officers and staff necessary to carry out its functions. 

Union Ministers Sharad Pawar, Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath and Praful Patel leave after a cabinet meeting on Lokpal Bill in New Delhi on Thursday

 

While the chairperson would be a sitting or retired chief justice of India, the members would include former or sitting judges of the Supreme Court or chief justices of the High Court, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, who was also present with Soni and Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanaswamy, said. 

 

Persons with “impeccable integrity”, with 25 years of experience in administration who have  dealt with corruption and vigilance, would also form part of the Lokpal, he said. 

 

The institution would inquire into allegations of corruption with respect to the Prime Minister “only after he demits office”. 

 

Besides, it would also take up corruption matters allegedly involving ministers, MPs, Group ‘A’ officers and others equivalent to this grade in any body, board, authority, corporation, trust, society or autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament.