New Delhi:
As anti-graft activist Anna Hazare's deadline to the government for passing the Lokpal Bill nears its end, the Union Cabinet will meet today evening to discuss the proposed legislation before it is introduced in Parliament on Monday. The crucial meeting precedes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to all parties concerned of the government's commitment to pass the contentious bill in the current session of Parliament that ends on December 22.
"The Bill will be in the cabinet on Sunday, and introduced in Parliament on Monday, thereafter it is up to Parliament to take it up. We don't know what could happen," the Prime Minister had said yesterday. "No one should doubt our sincerity in passing the bill in this season," he added. (
Watch)
The PM was seconded by senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), L K Advani, who said today that the final authority over the proposed legislation rested with the Parliament. "We definitely need a strong and effective Lokpal, there are no two ways about it. But the fact remains that the Lokpal bill will be passed by the parliament only," Mr Advani told reporters.
His remarks should provide a major boost to the government's morale which has recently found itself cornered with major opposition parties singing chorus with Mr Hazare over several of his key demands in the anti-graft bill - most notably, the inclusion of the Prime Minister, the lower bureaucracy and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Finding itself increasingly isolated, the government has decided to partially accede to some of Mr Hazare's demands that it hopes would placate the veteran activist as also the Opposition and project itself as being serious about its intention of the creation of a strong and effective Lokpal. The Lokpal is an ombudsman meant to tackle cases of graft among government servants.
NDTV has exclusive information about the contours of the Lokpal Bill that will be brought to the cabinet. Some of its key features are:
- The Prime Minister will be under Lokpal but with certain safeguards
- The PM can be referred for a preliminary probe if three-fourth of all Lokpal members agree
- The proceedings will be in camera, and the report will have to be sent to the Parliament
- On the issue of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the agency will report to the Lokpal only on cases referred to it by the ombudsman
- The CBI chief's appointment remains an outstanding issue and will be dealt with later, though in principle, the government agrees on a selection panel comprising the Prime Minister, the leader of the Opposition, the Lok Sabha speaker and the Lokpal chairman
- On the issue of the removal of the Lokpal, the government doesn't favour an impeachment
- The removal of the Lokpal can be done through a reference of the President
- If 100 MPs sign a petition against any Lokpal member, the President has to refer the complaint to the Supreme Court
Mr Hazare and his team of activists, popularly known as Team Anna, though are not happy with the current draft of the Lokpal Bill. On Saturday, in a letter to the PM, Anna said the government's draft of the bill is not strong and alleged that the Centre is not keen to let go of control of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "Lokpal is toothless without the CBI under it", he has said in his letter. (
Read the full letter)
The inclusion of the CBI under the ambit of the Lokpal is one of the key demands that the 74-year-old Gandhian has been pressing for. Team Anna if miffed over the CBI being kept out of the Lokpal's jurisdiction in the latest draft of the bill prepared by the Parliament's Standing Committee which was tasked with studying the proposed legislation.
Mr Hazare has also raised questions over the selection process of the nine-member Lokpal as recommended by the Standing Committee.
Expressing hope that the Prime Minister would respect the commitment he made during his fast in August, Mr Hazare reiterated his warning of beginning yet another fast on December 27 if the promises weren't fulfilled - of passing a strong Lokpal Bill in the current session of Parliament. He also reminded the PM of his earlier threat to begin a "
jail bharo" across India from January 1.