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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Civil society members invoke UN Convention for independent body that covers PM, judiciary by Gargi Parsai

Civil society members invoke UN Convention for independent body that covers PM, judiciary by Gargi Parsai

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published Published on May 3, 2011   modified Modified on May 3, 2011
Joint drafting panel on Lokpal Bill holds second meeting; public consultations after agreement on basic principles

In the second round of discussions in the joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill here on Monday, members of civil society invoked the United Nations Convention on Corruption to stress that the underlying principle of the anti-corruption law should be to have an independent body that covers the highest executive and the judiciary.

The convention, to which India is a signatory but is yet to ratify it, defines ‘public official' as any person holding a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial office, whether appointed or elected, whether permanent or temporary, whether paid or unpaid, irrespective of that person's seniority.

The civil society members submitted two documents to the government members outlining ‘objects and reasons and the underlying principle' in the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by them. They made several suggestions on the contents of the Bill and the powers and jurisdictions that should come under the legislation. They had tabled their version 2.2 of the draft Bill in the previous meeting.

To their suggestion for public consultations, the government representatives said that once there was agreement on the basic principles of the Bill, it would be put before the public.

Last week the government had sent three volumes of material on the Bill to the civil society members. Volume I comprised eight government Bills that have been drafted since 1998 when the Lokpal Bill was first introduced in Parliament. Volume II comprised the three reports of the Parliament Standing Committees on the subject. Volume III contained 14 suggestions on the draft Bill received by the government.

After the one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting on Monday, both sides expressed the desire to expedite the process of formulation of the Bill by holding quick meetings of the draft panel. The next meeting is scheduled for May 7, followed by other meetings on May 23 and 30 and, “if need be, on daily basis in June.''

“The civil society members presented a document with respect to the objects of the bill as well as a document which enunciated the general principles underlying the bill,'' Human Resource Development Minister and government representative on the panel Kapil Sibal told journalists. The panel is chaired by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Describing the meeting as “cordial,'' he said, “the civil society members and we will think about the proposals given by both sides and discuss again in our next meeting to be held on May 7.''

According to him, “the meeting was extremely conducive to the dialogue that we have decided to initiate. We hope that by June 30 we would have decided on the broad contours and drafted a Lokpal Bill to be introduced in Parliament.''

“The talks are on track,'' anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare told The Hindu.

Civil society members in the committee, Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan also told journalists that the discussion was on essential features, objects and reasons of the Bill which had been prepared according to the main provisions of the UN Convention against Corruption.

Mr. Bhushan said as per the UN Convention Against Corruption, 2005, all signatories to it have to pass this kind of law.

The Hindu, 3 May, 2011, http://www.hindu.com/2011/05/03/stories/2011050364781200.htm


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