Par panel to begin examination of Lokpal Bill tomorrow

New Delhi, Sept 22 (PTI) The Lokpal (anti-corruption
ombudsman) Bill is set to be put on the fast-track with the
Parliamentary panel on Law taking it for examination from
Friday by hearing views of Aruna Roy and Jaiprakash Narayan
who have presented their own drafts.
Also, Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar is
expected to make suggestions on bringing corporates within the
ambit of the Lokpal when he makes a presentation before the
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public
Grievances, Law and Justice headed by Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
The Committee, that was re-constituted last week, has
been asked to give its report within three months on the
Lokpal Bill that was introduced in the Lok Sabha (lower house
of Parliament) after a high-voltage campaign by social
activist Anna Hazare and his supporters.
On Saturday, the Committee has called senior lawyers
Ashok Kumar Parija, Amarjeet Singh Chandiok and Harish Salve,
legislative expert M R Madhavan, Amod Kanth, Chairman Delhi
Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Pratap Bhanu Mehta
President, Centre for Policy Research and Udit Raj, President
Indian Justice Party.
Central Bureau of Investigation Director A P Singh was to
make a presentation on Saturday but the same is now understood
to have been scheduled for a later date.
The Committee has to devise ways to form a strong Lokpal
Bill and solve the differences between civil society headed by
Anna Hazare and the government over the bill.
While government has brought forward the Lokpal Bill to
check the menace of corruption, civil society has come up with
Jan Lokpal Bill with certain powers and jurisdiction which did
not find favour with the government.
CVC officials fear that there may be a conflict of
interest in case the Lokpal comes into force in the form being
envisaged by the civil society.