Contentious issues related to the Lokpal Bill, like the Prime Minister?s inclusion within its ambit, were barely discussed at the eighth meeting of its drafting committee, even as two more issues ? constitution of the selection committee and the process of removal of the Lokpal ? provided grounds for diversion.
Although both sides said the meeting on Monday was more cordial than last week, tough negotiations between civil society representatives and the government continue. Another meeting has been called on Tuesday for finalising a draft to be discussed by the Cabinet.
Human resource development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal said, ?There is a broad agreement on a range of issues. It is a major step forward. Both sides feel we should move towards a consensus to formulate a draft where difficult issues of divergence are spelt out when it goes to political parties sometime in July,? said Sibal. A strong Lokpal Bill could be drafted and sent to the Cabinet so that it could be introduced in Parliament in the monsoon session, he added.
Government sources, however, said ?civil society members want to attend the all-party meeting, but the government is not in favour of that?. They also confirmed that the civil society members wanted that anyone be allowed to file a complaint at the Lokpal, while the government members said that it should be regulated by the government.
The main new points of diversion were as to who would constitute the selection committee for choosing the Lokpal. Civil society members want the committee to be made up of the prime minister, the leader of the opposition, the chief election commissioner (CEC), the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) and four judges.
?The government does not want the CEC and the CAG, instead we want a national professor in the committee and two judges,? said a government source. The manner of Lokpal?s removal also remained an issue. Significantly, team Anna wants that those found guilty of corruption be liable for capital punishment, which the government refuses to countenance. ?Team Anna then asked for life-term for those found guilty,? said a source.
Both sides confirmed that the biggest stumbling block to unanimity over the Bill ? whether or not the prime minister should be included in the Bill ? remained undiscussed.