New Delhi, June 15 (PTI/AGENCIES): The government and the civil society were on Wednesday deadlocked on the Lokpal Bill, prompting them to agree that a note would be sent to the Cabinet by June 30 carrying versions of both the sides. In fact, the 10-member Lokpal Bill drafting committee is split down the middle with the Government representatives and the civil society members failing to see eye to eye over the contentious issues. Not surprisingly, both sides blamed each other for the panel’s failure to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal Bill draft.
Lokpal panel likely to send two versions of draft Bill to Cabinet
At the two-and-a-half hour meeting of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, differences persisted between the two sides on the proposed ombudsman, particularly its structure and modalities. The Anna Hazare-led civil society members suggested that Lokpal should be empowered to probe corruption cases against officials doing away with the practice of conducting departmental probe along with a CBI enquiry. However, the government members rejected.
The other issue which was discussed in Wednesday’s meeting was the structure of Lokpal. While the civil society proposed an 11-member independent anti-corruption watchdog with subordinates having powers, the government side differed arguing that only 11 members be empowered to take decisions.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the committee will again meet on June 20 and 21 in an attempt to bridge differences. “It is clear there are areas where there are strong divergence of opinion...Hopefully the civil society members will give us a draft on issues of divergence. We ourselves will prepare a draft on the issues on which we think there are divergence and we will try and arrive at a consensus. “If no consensus is arrived, then we will forward a draft bill with both versions so that the Cabinet can take a view,” he said. The process will be completed by June 30.
While Union HRD and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said that the civil society and the Government representatives will try to arrive at a consensus on all the issues at the next meeting; RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, representing the Anna Hazare brigade, blamed the Government for the logjam. Claiming that nothing could be achieved from Wednesday’s meeting, activist Arvind Kejriwal said, “the government is trying to kill the Lokpal even before it is born.” “There has been no consensus on most of the issues. It seems that the government has made up its mind and is just giving its decision. It’s a hardline stand of the government and it seems that these talks are just for formalities sake,” said Kejriwal.
Lawyer and social activist Prashant Bhushan said that there were many fundamental differences between the conception of the civil members and that of the ministers on the panel, thereby, stating that the rift between the government and civil society has widened. Bhushan said that both versions of the Lokpal Bill would be place before the cabinet and then it will be the cabinet’s decision on what form of Lokpal bill would be place before the Parliament. However, Team Anna said that they will not boycott the next meeting of the joint drafting committee, even though Wednesday’s meet looked like a failure.
Lokpal panel likely to send two versions of draft Bill to Cabinet
At the two-and-a-half hour meeting of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, differences persisted between the two sides on the proposed ombudsman, particularly its structure and modalities. The Anna Hazare-led civil society members suggested that Lokpal should be empowered to probe corruption cases against officials doing away with the practice of conducting departmental probe along with a CBI enquiry. However, the government members rejected.
The other issue which was discussed in Wednesday’s meeting was the structure of Lokpal. While the civil society proposed an 11-member independent anti-corruption watchdog with subordinates having powers, the government side differed arguing that only 11 members be empowered to take decisions.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the committee will again meet on June 20 and 21 in an attempt to bridge differences. “It is clear there are areas where there are strong divergence of opinion...Hopefully the civil society members will give us a draft on issues of divergence. We ourselves will prepare a draft on the issues on which we think there are divergence and we will try and arrive at a consensus. “If no consensus is arrived, then we will forward a draft bill with both versions so that the Cabinet can take a view,” he said. The process will be completed by June 30.
While Union HRD and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said that the civil society and the Government representatives will try to arrive at a consensus on all the issues at the next meeting; RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, representing the Anna Hazare brigade, blamed the Government for the logjam. Claiming that nothing could be achieved from Wednesday’s meeting, activist Arvind Kejriwal said, “the government is trying to kill the Lokpal even before it is born.” “There has been no consensus on most of the issues. It seems that the government has made up its mind and is just giving its decision. It’s a hardline stand of the government and it seems that these talks are just for formalities sake,” said Kejriwal.
Lawyer and social activist Prashant Bhushan said that there were many fundamental differences between the conception of the civil members and that of the ministers on the panel, thereby, stating that the rift between the government and civil society has widened. Bhushan said that both versions of the Lokpal Bill would be place before the cabinet and then it will be the cabinet’s decision on what form of Lokpal bill would be place before the Parliament. However, Team Anna said that they will not boycott the next meeting of the joint drafting committee, even though Wednesday’s meet looked like a failure.
