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Desperate to ensure a smooth passage of the contentious Lokpal Bill when it comes up for discussion in Parliament next week, the Government seems to be according priority to including provisions like giving reservations to SCs, STs and OBCs on which there is a broad consensus among the political parties.
“Discussion is in progress on the issue of reservation. The matter would be finalised only after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes back from his Russia trip on Saturday,” a Minister told the The Pioneer on Friday.
The Bill is being finalised for clearance by the Cabinet, which is likely to meet on Monday. Home Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasmy are busy making modifications.
Subsequently, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee would go through the modified Bill before it is presented before the Cabinet for clearance. The Bill is likely to come up for discussion in Parliament on Tuesday.
Narayanasamy said before bringing official amendments to the Bill, Government is going through the recommendations of the Parliamentary committee which scrutinised the Bill and views expressed by various political parties and organisations to ensure that it is “acceptable to all”.
Sources said the Government has zeroed in on the issue of reservation in Lokpal as there was a broad consensus on the issue at the all-party meeting held on Wednesday at the PM’s residence. The issue was raised by LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan and no party opposed it.
In fact, other prominent leaders like Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and RJD president Lalu Prasad have also demanded reservation in Lokpal.
The sources said the draft of Lokpal Bill to be put up before Cabinet is expected to have provision for 50 per cent quota for SCs, STs and OBCs in the nine-member body. This would be the first time that a constitutional body will be composed on caste lines. This, could, however, lead to a legal tangle.
The Government has to decide whether the reservation should be given only in the Search Committee, as recommended by the Standing Committee on Lokpal Bill and supported by the main Opposition party BJP, or in the nine-member body of Lokpal as well, which is being demanded by the other political parties.
“Discussion is in progress on the issue of reservation. The matter would be finalised only after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes back from his Russia trip on Saturday,” a Minister told the The Pioneer on Friday.
The Bill is being finalised for clearance by the Cabinet, which is likely to meet on Monday. Home Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasmy are busy making modifications.
Subsequently, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee would go through the modified Bill before it is presented before the Cabinet for clearance. The Bill is likely to come up for discussion in Parliament on Tuesday.
Narayanasamy said before bringing official amendments to the Bill, Government is going through the recommendations of the Parliamentary committee which scrutinised the Bill and views expressed by various political parties and organisations to ensure that it is “acceptable to all”.
Sources said the Government has zeroed in on the issue of reservation in Lokpal as there was a broad consensus on the issue at the all-party meeting held on Wednesday at the PM’s residence. The issue was raised by LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan and no party opposed it.
In fact, other prominent leaders like Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and RJD president Lalu Prasad have also demanded reservation in Lokpal.
The sources said the draft of Lokpal Bill to be put up before Cabinet is expected to have provision for 50 per cent quota for SCs, STs and OBCs in the nine-member body. This would be the first time that a constitutional body will be composed on caste lines. This, could, however, lead to a legal tangle.
The Government has to decide whether the reservation should be given only in the Search Committee, as recommended by the Standing Committee on Lokpal Bill and supported by the main Opposition party BJP, or in the nine-member body of Lokpal as well, which is being demanded by the other political parties.
