Dissent note from BJP, Oppn

Continuing with the list dissent notes at the standing committee on personnel, public grievance, law and justice which finalised the report on Lok Pal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition leaders gave yet another dissent note after the parliamentary committee decided to remove Group C bureaucracy from Lok Pal although it was included on November 30.

The BJP members who wanted Group C government servants to remain under Lok Pal decided to register their disagreement and called the special meeting on Lok Pal as mysterious. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also gave dissent note after the standing committee decided not to change the process for appointment of director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“During the discussion, Congress members argued if Group C bureaucrats are included with Groups A and B, the numbers will substantially rise and Lok Pal will not be able to function and deal with large number of corruption cases that could come up. We have no option but to give a dissent note on the issue. The committee can’t choose to include Group C on the last day of the meeting and then call a special meeting to exclude it,” said a member of the standing committee. After discussion, the opposition had demanded the appointment process of CBI director must be made independent but the standing committee decided otherwise after majority of members didn’t agree to the stand of the principal opposition party.