Sunday, April 10, 2011
Only appropriate person will become Lokpal: Shanti Bhushan - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: Those holding the supreme anti-corruption post of Lokpal will be accountable to the Supreme Court, according to co-chair of the Lokpal Bill joint drafting committee Shanti Bhushan.
Bhushan told NDTV that according to the proposedJan Lokpal Bill a selection committee, comprising the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the speaker of the Lok Sabha, two senior judges of the Supreme Court, two high court judges, the Chief Election Commissioner and the National Human Rights Commission head will select the 11-member ombudsman body. "The correct and appropriate person will be Lokpal," he said.
He said in case of any allegation of corruption against a member of the Lokpal, an enquiry will be held by a bench of the Supreme Court and the corrupt member removed.
"No irresponsible member will be Lokpal," the senior lawyer said.
He also said the proposed Lokpal will not have powers of conviction or sending people to jail.
"Their power is only investigation, like a sub-inspector in the police station. Their powers are confined to allegations of corruption governed by the Prevention of Corruption Act," he said.
He said the anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation will come under the Lokpal. "It will utilise the CBI", he said, and added that the ombudsman will be an independent authority and "not take orders from anybody".
The government has agreed to a joint committee to draft a strong anti-graft Lokpal bill, following the hunger strike by veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare and his supporters. The bill is to be introduced in the parliament in the monsoon session.
Bhushan told NDTV that according to the proposedJan Lokpal Bill a selection committee, comprising the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the speaker of the Lok Sabha, two senior judges of the Supreme Court, two high court judges, the Chief Election Commissioner and the National Human Rights Commission head will select the 11-member ombudsman body. "The correct and appropriate person will be Lokpal," he said.
He said in case of any allegation of corruption against a member of the Lokpal, an enquiry will be held by a bench of the Supreme Court and the corrupt member removed.
"No irresponsible member will be Lokpal," the senior lawyer said.
He also said the proposed Lokpal will not have powers of conviction or sending people to jail.
"Their power is only investigation, like a sub-inspector in the police station. Their powers are confined to allegations of corruption governed by the Prevention of Corruption Act," he said.
He said the anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation will come under the Lokpal. "It will utilise the CBI", he said, and added that the ombudsman will be an independent authority and "not take orders from anybody".
The government has agreed to a joint committee to draft a strong anti-graft Lokpal bill, following the hunger strike by veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare and his supporters. The bill is to be introduced in the parliament in the monsoon session.
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