Prevention of Corruption Bill referred to Select Committee

A crucial bill on checking corruption was today referred to a Select Committee after members in Rajya Sabha raised objections over certain clauses, arguing that these overlap with the provisions of the Lokpal Act and more clarity was needed on these.

The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, pending before the Rajya Sabha for long, provides for more stringent punishment for the offences of bribery, both for the bribe giver and the bribe taker by amending the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. It seeks to enhance penalty for graft to a maximum of seven years from five years now, among other new provisions to check the menace.

When the bill was moved in the House on December 3, Opposition parties including Congress and Samajwadi Party had advocated caution on the measure saying the new law, instead of checking the menace, will increase corruption and make elected representatives more vulnerable.

Soon after the discussion began today, Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party said powers vested by amendments, which the government wants to bring in the bill, have already been given to Lokpal by the Supreme Court.

"So what is the relevance of passing this bill when everything will be decided by Lokpal. Refer this bill to a Select Committee," he said.

The SP member went to the extent of saying "I am not in agreement with Lokpal. My party is also not in agreement with Lokpal. This will create a parallel system."

Madhusudan Mistry (Congress) told the Chair that eight or nine members of Rajya Sabha have already moved a petition seeking sending of the bill to a Select Committee.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek 'O Brien said,"the sense of the House seems to be to send it to the Select Committee."

Sensing the mood of the House, government agreed to the Opposition demand with Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh noting that the focus has now shifted to larger issue of Lokpal versus Parliament's authority.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said a discussion on the bill should be carried out after the report of Select Committee comes if the House decides to send it to the panel.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he was "deferring the discussion" on the issue as the "sense of the House is to send it to the Select Committee". He also asked the government to come out with a motion with names of members of different parties for the panel.