Sushma Swaraj opposes proposed Lokpal selection panel member

The government and the BJP seemed headed for a face-off over appointing a member to the Lokpal selection panel, with party leader Sushma Swaraj opposing the suggested government nominee - senior lawyer P.P. Rao - and insisting on another name from the shortlist, party sources said.

Bharatiya Janata Party sources said that Sushma Swaraj, who is leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, registered her dissent over the name proposed by the government during the meeting called at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence Monday evening to elect the fifth member of the selection committee.

The sources said she has sought an appointment with President Pranab Mukherjee over the issue.

The sources said Sushma Swaraj did not accept Rao's name, proposed by the prime minister, and instead suggested the name of former attorney general K. Parasaran, who was among the names given to her by the government.

The Lokpal Act provides for selection committee comprising of the prime minister, Lok Sabha speaker, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India or a judge nominated by him and one eminent jurist to be appointed by the other four members.

The sources said Sushma Swaraj did not agree on Rao's name, saying he has been a "Congress loyalist".

She suggested that either the meeting should be deferred or the panel expanded and the decision should not be taken by majority but through unanimity.

BJP sources said despite her opposition, the other three members of the selection committee agreed on Rao's name.

Apart from prime minister and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, the meeting was attended by Supreme Court judge H.L. Dattu, who has been nominated by Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam.

The sources said that six names were suggested by the government to Sushma Swaraj and Parasaran was one among them.