A month after Anna Hazare’s hunger strike on the Lok Pal Bill issue, representatives of the government and the civil society today agreed on the basic principles of the proposed legislation on the anti-corruption ombudsman, such as transparency in the selection process and autonomy.
However, the inclusion of the Prime Minister and the judiciary in the ambit of the Lok Pal was a sticking point and the issue was flagged for broader discussion at the next meeting scheduled for May 23.
Briefing reporters after the third meeting of the Joint Drafting Committee on the Lok Pal Bill that was constituted on April 8, senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan said there was agreement on various issues like transparency in the process of appointment of the Lok Pal, the autonomy of the ombudsman and financial independence for such an office.
RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, who is a member of the 10-member drafting panel, said only one-fourth of the bill has been discussed.
“The model on which the financial independence will be based is yet to be decided. Various models were discussed, including from other countries and of institutions like the Supreme Court, Comptroller and Auditor General and the Central Vigilance Commission,” he said.
However, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said more discussions were needed on having state-level Lok Pals as consultations need to be held with state governments on the issue.
