lokpal bill

Three months after the civil society initiated a movement, the Union Cabinet today approved the Lokpal Bill keeping the office of Prime Minister outside its purview during his term in office and also excluded higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside Parliament. The bill, which has included some of the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by Team Anna Hazare, gives permission to Lokpal to probe any Union Minister or officials of Group A and above without any sanction. At the meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh insisted that his office be included in the legislation, but the Cabinet decided otherwise, Information and Broadcasting
Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the meeting.


She said the Prime Minister was heard with "great respect" but the ministers discussed the "pitfalls" of such a proposal including its possible adverse effect on the stability of a government and creation of uncertainty. The bill will be introduced in Parliament in the first two days of the Monsoon session beginning August one. The Lokpal consisting of Chairperson and eight members, half of them judicial, will have its own prosecution and investigation wing with officers and staff necessary to carry out its functions. While the Chairperson would be a sitting or retired Chief Justice of India, the members would include former or sitting judges of Supreme Court or Chief Justices of the High
Court, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, who was also present with Soni and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanaswamy, said. Persons with "impeccable integrity", with 25 years of experience in administration who has dealt with corruption and vigilance, would also form part of the Lokpal, he said.

lokpal bill