New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi met all UPA allies on Tuesday evening to discuss the latest version of the Lokpal Bill, which will be shared with the Opposition today at an all-party meeting.
Home Minister P Chidambaram described the discussion as "useful" and said, " There was a broad consensus between the UPA allies today. We will present our views at the all-party meeting. "
Mr Chidambaram added, "We hope the all-party meet is productive which will help us draft an effective bill."
Sources say that during the meeting, the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Chairman of Parliament's Standing Committee that studied the bill, briefed the allies on the implications of the bill.
They indicated their willingness to the inclusion of the Prime Minister's Office with safeguards as well as the lower bureaucracy under the ambit of the Lokpal, sources added.
The allies reportedly expressed their concerns about the Citizen's Charter and the inclusion of CBI under the Lokpal.
Sources also said that the government will take a final view on these issues after the all-party meeting on Wednesday.
The anti-corruption bill has been championed by activist Anna Hazare. He meets with his team of activists today in Delhi to assess whether the Bill is strong enough for him to call off a hunger strike scheduled for December 27. So far, Anna has rejected the draft of the Lokpal Bill because it excludes some of the key demands of his movement. At a debate hosted by his team in Delhi on Sunday, political parties agreed with most of these features.
The public stand taken by parties like the Left and the BJP highlighted that the government is in a minority over its insistence that the Lokpal - a new ombudsman agency - should not be allowed to investigate the Prime Minister or 57 lakh junior bureaucrats who are Central government employees. So last evening, the Prime Minister reached out on the phone to an array of parties to seek consensus; he was reportedly successful in pitching a new bill that seems to have the blessing of most big political players.
So the Lokpal will likely be allowed to investigate the Prime Minister, though with safeguards, for charges of corruption. Junior bureaucrats will also be accountable to the ombudsman. The premier investigating agency - the CBI - will report to the Lokpal when investigating complaints of corruption against government servants. Anna had said that unless the bill included these factors, he would use a fast to launch a new campaign in which he would urge people to "fill every jail in India." (Team Anna Core Committee meeting tomorrow)
To prove its intent in checking graft, the Union Cabinet also cleared two important bills on Tuesday evening - the Judicial Accountability Bill and the Citizens' Charter Bill. (Read) The former sets up a committee of five members to deal with charges of corruption against judges. The latter makes it necessary for government offices to post a notice that indicates how long it will take to deliver a service, and the penalty for officers who don't meet that deadline. Anna, had asked for the Lokpal Bill to include judges and the Citizens' Charter. As indicated earlier to him, the government has addressed these spheres through separate bills.
The government's actions in recent weeks have suggested a sort of allergy to seeking consensus - that has led to public and face-first crashes on important matters like foreign direct investment in retail. The Opposition said it had not been consulted; so did allies like Mamata Banerjee, whose party, the TMC, is the second-largest member of the UPA coalition after the Congress. After announcing that it was opening up retail to foreign ownership, the government had to suspend the reforms that were meant to telegraph this government's policy paralysis had ended.
The need to allow the Lokpal to investigate the PM's office for charges of corruption was emphasised at Sunday's debate at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. (Will fight for strong Lokpal, but leave details to Parliament: Parties at Anna's debate) The government has been suggesting that the PM must complete his or her term before the Lokpal can follow up on charges of graft. "But why should we tolerate a corrupt PM for even a day?" asked the BJP's Arun Jaitley during the debate. So though the new formula places the PM under the ambit of the Lokpal, there are safeguards. To avoid frivolous complaints, for example, a charge against the PM would be referred to a full bench of the Supreme Court before being accepted by the Lokpal.
The CBI has argued ardently against being made to report to the Lokpal - the agency believes this will defeat the objective of ensuring its autonomy. So it will now have the Lokpal as its boss only for investigations related to corruption. The government is also likely to propose an independent mechanism for the appointment of the CBI Director. Opposition parties at Anna's debate said the CBI has to be freed from government control - and that every party that has formed the government has been tempted to use the investigating agency for political vendetta by launching investigations against opponents, and protecting its supporters. Sources say both the BJP and the Congress may agree that the CBI director should be appointed by the PM, the chairman of the Lokpal and the Leader of the Opposition.
Home Minister P Chidambaram described the discussion as "useful" and said, " There was a broad consensus between the UPA allies today. We will present our views at the all-party meeting. "
Mr Chidambaram added, "We hope the all-party meet is productive which will help us draft an effective bill."
Sources say that during the meeting, the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Chairman of Parliament's Standing Committee that studied the bill, briefed the allies on the implications of the bill.
They indicated their willingness to the inclusion of the Prime Minister's Office with safeguards as well as the lower bureaucracy under the ambit of the Lokpal, sources added.
The allies reportedly expressed their concerns about the Citizen's Charter and the inclusion of CBI under the Lokpal.
Sources also said that the government will take a final view on these issues after the all-party meeting on Wednesday.
The anti-corruption bill has been championed by activist Anna Hazare. He meets with his team of activists today in Delhi to assess whether the Bill is strong enough for him to call off a hunger strike scheduled for December 27. So far, Anna has rejected the draft of the Lokpal Bill because it excludes some of the key demands of his movement. At a debate hosted by his team in Delhi on Sunday, political parties agreed with most of these features.
The public stand taken by parties like the Left and the BJP highlighted that the government is in a minority over its insistence that the Lokpal - a new ombudsman agency - should not be allowed to investigate the Prime Minister or 57 lakh junior bureaucrats who are Central government employees. So last evening, the Prime Minister reached out on the phone to an array of parties to seek consensus; he was reportedly successful in pitching a new bill that seems to have the blessing of most big political players.
So the Lokpal will likely be allowed to investigate the Prime Minister, though with safeguards, for charges of corruption. Junior bureaucrats will also be accountable to the ombudsman. The premier investigating agency - the CBI - will report to the Lokpal when investigating complaints of corruption against government servants. Anna had said that unless the bill included these factors, he would use a fast to launch a new campaign in which he would urge people to "fill every jail in India." (Team Anna Core Committee meeting tomorrow)
To prove its intent in checking graft, the Union Cabinet also cleared two important bills on Tuesday evening - the Judicial Accountability Bill and the Citizens' Charter Bill. (Read) The former sets up a committee of five members to deal with charges of corruption against judges. The latter makes it necessary for government offices to post a notice that indicates how long it will take to deliver a service, and the penalty for officers who don't meet that deadline. Anna, had asked for the Lokpal Bill to include judges and the Citizens' Charter. As indicated earlier to him, the government has addressed these spheres through separate bills.
The government's actions in recent weeks have suggested a sort of allergy to seeking consensus - that has led to public and face-first crashes on important matters like foreign direct investment in retail. The Opposition said it had not been consulted; so did allies like Mamata Banerjee, whose party, the TMC, is the second-largest member of the UPA coalition after the Congress. After announcing that it was opening up retail to foreign ownership, the government had to suspend the reforms that were meant to telegraph this government's policy paralysis had ended.
The need to allow the Lokpal to investigate the PM's office for charges of corruption was emphasised at Sunday's debate at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. (Will fight for strong Lokpal, but leave details to Parliament: Parties at Anna's debate) The government has been suggesting that the PM must complete his or her term before the Lokpal can follow up on charges of graft. "But why should we tolerate a corrupt PM for even a day?" asked the BJP's Arun Jaitley during the debate. So though the new formula places the PM under the ambit of the Lokpal, there are safeguards. To avoid frivolous complaints, for example, a charge against the PM would be referred to a full bench of the Supreme Court before being accepted by the Lokpal.
The CBI has argued ardently against being made to report to the Lokpal - the agency believes this will defeat the objective of ensuring its autonomy. So it will now have the Lokpal as its boss only for investigations related to corruption. The government is also likely to propose an independent mechanism for the appointment of the CBI Director. Opposition parties at Anna's debate said the CBI has to be freed from government control - and that every party that has formed the government has been tempted to use the investigating agency for political vendetta by launching investigations against opponents, and protecting its supporters. Sources say both the BJP and the Congress may agree that the CBI director should be appointed by the PM, the chairman of the Lokpal and the Leader of the Opposition.
No comments:
Post a Comment