New Delhi:
As the inclusion of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the ambit of the Lokpal continues to be a major bone of contention, the agency itself, according to sources, is upset as it feels that its autonomy has been seriously compromised.
Sources have told NDTV that the country's premier investigative agency needs complete financial and administrative autonomy. This demand seems to have stemmed from the fact that the CBI, according to the Lokpal Bill that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, will have the government exercise an overwhelming authority over it.
(Read: Lokpal Bill tabled in Lok Sabha) It will continue to wield complete administrative powers over the agency in that the latter's budget as well as appointments and transfers of its officers would be handled by the government. This, the CBI feels, defeats the whole purpose of making the body autonomous, sources have said. The agency, according to the new bill, will also report to the Lokpal - a nine-member ombudsman that is meant to tackle cases of graft among government servants - in connection with cases referred to it by the latter. Even though the CBI is agreeable to updating the ombudsman over the concerned cases, it feels that reporting to multiple agencies will impede its efficiency, sources have added.
(Poll: Who should CBI report to?)Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has already slammed the government for its unwillingness to cede administrative control over the CBI and has dubbed the bill as "useless". He alleges that the government could continue to influence investigations.
(Read: Debate Lokpal Bill with us, Anna dares Sonia Gandhi) The main opposition party, the BJP, has sided with the septuagenarian and also feels that there is too much back and forth between the CBI and the Lokpal.
(Read: BJP not content with what's on offer)The government has, however, agreed to the BJP's insistence that the chief of the CBI will be selected in the future by a panel that includes the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.