BJP slams govt for not accepting 2 Par panel recommendations

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, who was a member of the Select Committee, also questioned the government for taking the proposed legislation to the Cabinet as it is the property of Parliament.

He particularly picked on the government for rejecting the committee's recommendation that Lokpal should have absolute control over CBI officers investigating cases referred to them by the anti-graft ombudsman.

He argued that the government's contention that a CBI officer probing a case referred by Lokpal can be transfered by the agency without approval of Lokpal would ensure that the officers would not be able to function "without fear or favour".

Jaitley, a renowned lawyer, also attacked the government for not accepting a recommendation with regard to denying chance of hearing to an accused public servant before formal trial begins.

"Such an enquiry, though ostensibly appears to be in compliance of the principles of natural justice, would be destructive of any effective probe against a delinquent public servant," he contended.

He said the government's final draft of the Bill was "flawed" as appointment of Lokpal was "substantially controlled" by the government and the investigating agency at the disposal of Lokpal was "completely government-controlled".

"The investigation procedure was loaded so as to render any independent investigation nearly impossible," Jaitley said.

The Union Cabinet yesterday accepted 14 of the 16 recommendations made by the Select Committee, to which which the bill was referred in May in view of sharp differences among political parties. (MORE)