Allies differ,all agree to delay Lokpal Bill debate

The government will prepare a draft and then hold consultations with parties. Sources disclosed that it may reflect a change in the provision dealing with setting up of Lokayuktas in states given that some UPA constituents agreed with the Opposition that this should be left out of the Lokpal Bill.

The draft will draw on the suggestions from parties as well as on the amendments for which members had given notices. Notices have been given for over 100 amendments.

Sources disclosed that the CPM’s Sitaram Yechury,BSP’s Satish Mishra,Samajwadi Party’s Mohan Singh and JD(U)’s N K Singh had sought constitution of a select committee of the House to examine the Bill. However,Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee shot down the idea. He sought to know what was the guarantee that parties would not go back on what they had agree to in the select committee.

He cited the example of the variation between the positions taken by parties in the Standing Committee on Govt,Oppn agree to put off Lokpal debate the Lokpal and in the two Houses later. Moreover,Mukherjee maintained,it was a time-consuming process and could,therefore,only delay the legislation.

Yechury later said he was hopeful of the government and major political parties reaching a consensus. “The government is committed to bringing the Bill in this session and the actual wording of the Bill will be worked out during the intervening period of the Budget Session,” he said.

In his initial remarks at the meeting,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: “Our government stands committed to an effective Lokpal legislation.” Speaking to reporters after the meeting,Minister of State for PMO V Narayanasamy said the government was hopeful of passing the Bill in the Budget Session. “We have come to a stage where views of various political parties have been heard… Now the government will take a decision on how to pass this Bill by consensus of all political parties,” Narayanasamy said.

Among those opposed to creation of the Lokpal as well as the inclusion of the prime minister under its purview were Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD) and Ramvilas Paswan (LJP). The National Conference too was against bringing the PM in.

Lokayuktas: Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley and Yechury said the setting up of Lokayuktas in states should be delinked from the Lokpal. Among the UPA allies,Sukhendu Shekhar Roy of the Trinamool Congress said parties were united in demanding the deletion of the provision because they felt it affected the federal character of the Constitution and the autonomy of states. DMK leader T Siva added that laws enacted by Parliament should not undermine the rights of states.

AIADMK leader V Maitreyan claimed unanimity among all parties on delinking Lokayuktas from the Lokpal Bill.

Yechury said the broad understanding was that the new draft could lay down that six months after the legislation came into effect,the states will set up Lokayuktas. It may add that the state assemblies could consider the relevant sections while making laws for setting up the anti-corruption body.

Powers: While Jaitley stressed on the Lokpal being free of government control,Yechury argued that either the Lokpal should have its own investigating agency or have the power of superintendence over the CBI and CVC in corruption matters. Yechury told reporters that the CPM wanted the process of appointment and removal of the Lokpal to be more democratic.

NGOs: Yechury called for inclusion of corporates and NGOs which get contracts from the government under the purview of the Lokpal. Jaitley felt that the NGOs and educational institutions not taking foreign funding could be excluded.

Selection of Lokpal: Jaitley advocated a more broad-based process. There was a suggestion to include the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha in the selection panel.