Lokpal Bill: Joint Committee to decide videograph demand

A decision to videograph the proceedings of the Joint Committee on Lokpal Bill as sought by Gandhian Anna Hazare has to taken by the drafting panel itself, its member Union Minister Salman Khurshid said today.

Responding to a question on the demand by Hazare to videograph and make public proceedings of the Committee to ensure transparency in the drafting process, Khurshid said, "The Joint Drafting Committee is supposed to decide its own procedure.

"This procedure about making whatever happens there public or televising it, will be decided by the Committee itself.... I can't comment on it as an individual," the Union Water Resources Minister said.

He said the draft Lokpal Bill was a "high priority" and it will be ready "very soon."

As per the Gazette Notification, the Committee, comprising of five Union Ministers and as many civil society members, will finalise the draft latest by June 30.

Asked whether the bill which seeks to create an Ombudsman will be effective in fighting corruption, he said, "The way we try to better ourselves in other facets of life, this will be done in politics also and this will be an important step in that direction."

Hazare is part of the 10-member panel headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to draft a stronger Lok Pal Bill.