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Lokpal logjam: Govt bends 70%, Anna seeks 90% NEW DELHI: A day after TOI front-paged an appeal to both sides to seek common ground for the sake of the nation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote to Anna Hazare, who has been on fast for eight days, saying the government would request the Lok Sabha Speaker to formally refer the Jan Lokpal Bill to the standing committee. This panel would consider all versions, including the governments, Team Annas and Aruna Roys. The olive branch came just before the government agreed to consider Team Annas demand to put the Prime Minister under the Lokpals purview and merge the CBIs anti-corruption wing with the proposed ombudsman. The government has agreed to enact the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill to deal with corruption in higher judiciary. Government agreed that this legislation would be vetted by the Hazare group. The sticking points are: Civil societys demand to include the lower bureaucracy in the Lokpals ambit, enacting Lokayuktas for states, extending Lokpals jurisdiction to cover the conduct of MPs inside Parliament, adoption of a citizens charter by every government department that lays down the duties of officials and punishments for non-performance. The civil society has asked the government to give a commitment in writing that the Lokpal Bill will be passed in the current session itself after withdrawing the official bill from the standing committee or allowing it to lapse. Back |
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