Lokpal Bill update

The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to keep the office of the prime minister outside the fold of the proposed Lokpal, overruling Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself. The deliberations spread over two hours saw Singh make a strong argument for the inclusion of his office in the Lokpal’s ambit, only to run into resistance from the overwhelming majority. The government’s decision met with a sharp attack from civil society activist Anna Hazare who announced that he would go ahead with his fast from August 16 and demanded that the government bill be withdrawn. The revised draft provides for the majority of the 9-member Lokpal to be drawn from among people with a legal background: a concession to the argument that the quasi-judicial body will require people with understanding of law and legal practices. In another significant addition, any trust or body, including NGOs that receive public funds, will come under the Lokpal’s scrutiny. Four ministers—defence minister A K Antony, I&B minister Ambika Soni, telecom minister Kapil Sibal and rural development minister Jairam Ramesh—supported the PM, stressing the need for the government to send the right message about its intent to fight corruption. But the group found itself overwhelmed by the argument of the majority that putting the PM within the Lokpal’s jurisdiction would be a recipe for destabilization, and would leave his office hobbled. “It is not a matter of an individual but that of an institution,” was the dominant refrain. Interestingly, three ex-CMs of Maharashtra in the Cabinet—agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and science & technology minister Vilasrao Deshmukh—were among the most vocal in opposing the PM’s suggestion.