Anna's Jan Lokpal Bill Criticised at Parliament Panel Meeting

Monday, 26 September 2011, 16:06 IST
Printer Print Email Email
Anna's Jan Lokpal Bill Criticised at Parliament Panel Meeting
New Delhi: Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill today came under sharp criticism at a meeting of the Parliamentary panel examining various drafts of the proposed legislation with most witnesses terming the activist's version as extra-constitutional. Legal and Constitutional experts, who deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, favoured strengthening of existing anti-graft institutions and keeping the judiciary, MPs and the Prime Minister out of the ambit of the proposed anti-corruption ombudsman. Jay Prakash Narayan of Lok Satta Party, Pratap Bhanu Mehta of Centre for Policy Research, Bar Council of India Chairman Ashok Parija, eminent counsel Harish Salve and Justice Party chief Udit Raj appeared before the Committee today. Narayan is said to have claimed that the Janlokpal, as proposed by Hazare, would become a "super constitutional body" that would be dangerous for the country. He favoured setting up a National Judicial Commission to look into matters related to the judiciary, including allegations of corruption. Salve is learnt to have told the Committee that setting up the Janlokpal would be unconstitutional as it would lead to creation of a monolithic authority that would destroy the liberties enjoyed under the Constitution. He is understood to have favoured strengthening of existing laws like the Prevention of Corruption Act and also strengthen institutions like the CBI and the CVC. Salve also favoured an independent prosecution wing for the CBI so that the agency can press for prosecution without waiting for the government to provide it with law officers to argue cases in courts. He also favoured non-interference from the government in the investigations being carried out by the CBI.
Source: PTI
Digital Supply Chain Transformation – Winning the AI/ML Way