Allies on board, angry Oppn to move amendments.
Taking the Opposition and civil society head on, the UPA government on Tuesday cleared a Lok Pal Bill that would bring the Prime Minister under the corruption ombudsman's purview. But, it segregated certain areas, including foreign affairs, national security, atomic energy, space, etc, which the Lok Pal will not be able to investigate. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will remain under the government’s overall control.
These two provisions evoked howls of protest from the civil society and the BJP vowed to move amendments in Parliament against the Bill. Parliament will discuss the Bill on Thursday and Friday. There is no clarity yet whether the Winter session will be extended for a longer discussion. At a Congress Parliamentary Party meeting tomorrow, to be addressed by party president Sonia Gandhi and followed by a dinner for MPs, the Bill is likely to get full-throated support as the most radical anti-corruption move ever.
| THE WATCHDOG’S BARK AND ITS BITE |
| * Can't initiate inquiry into corruption suo motu |
| * Can act as superintendent for some anti-graft functions of the CBI |
| * Can order search and seizure of documents |
| * Members can be impeached only after 100 MPs make a representation |
| * Can't probe matters of foreign affairs, national security, atomic energy, etc |
Three top lawyers in the government, Salman Khurshid, P Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal, drafted the Bill. They took allies’ suggestions on board and dropped provisions from a standing committee report deemed impractical or unworkable. “It has been a stupendous task and we haven’t given in (to pressure from social activists and the Opposition),” one of the ministers told Business Standard.
This means the search panel for a Lok Pal, as well as the bench itself, will have 50 per cent reservation for women, OBCs, SCs and STs, and minorities as suggested by UPA ally Ramvilas Paswan. Another ally, Trinamool Congress, felt corruption in the lower bureaucracy should be investigated by the Central Vigilance Commission. The suggestion has been included. Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Farooq Abdullah had recommended the exclusion of the PM. That was incorporated with modifications. The DMK wanted the PM covered but the CBI left out. That, too, has been adopted.
The Lok Pal cannot initiate an inquiry into corruption suo motu and will need a complaint to act upon. The CBI can act suo motu. The Lok Pal will be an eight-member body with a five-year term.