Rajnath-led ministerial panel meets to discuss Lokpal

A ministerial panel led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh today discussed various issues related to the proposed anti-corruption body Lokpal.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh among others.
Some issues related to Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, were discussed during the meeting. The issues arising out of the report submitted by a parliamentary committee that went into Lokpal Act, were also discussed by the ministers, official sources said.
Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Sanjay Kothari, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), were also present in the meeting.

Lokpal Act provides for establishment of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to probe corruption complaints against public servants.
The Centre had introduced a bill to amend Lokpal Act in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2014. It was then referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which submitted its report in December last year.
The amendments to the Act include the one for allowing the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, in case there is no Leader of Opposition in the House, to be part of the selection panel for appointment of the chairperson and members of Lokpal.

The selection committee headed by the Prime Minister has as its members the Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him and an eminent jurist who could be nominated by the President or any other member.