Lokpal bill introduced in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Brushing aside questions of legislative competence, government today introduced in the Lok Sabha a historic bill for inquiring into corruption by Prime Minister, Ministers, MPs and its employees but buckled under pressure from non-BJP parties to restore the provision of quota for minorities. It, however, did not yield to civil society's demand for control over CBI by Lokpal which can only refer to the agency complaints received by it. Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy tabled 'The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011' that also mandates the states to appoint a Lokayukta along with a Constitution (Amendment) Bill to provide Constitutional status for both Lokpal and Lokayuktas. The introduction of the bill was preceded by high drama when non-BJP parties forced the government to restore the provision for reservation for minorities in the 50 per cent quota for appointment to the nine-member Lokpal Bench, which was dropped last night by the government after consultations with BJP. Raising questions before introduction during a 90-minute debate, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj attacked the reservation for minorities and the mandatory provision of creation of Lokayuktas as infringing on the states' rights while parties like RJD, SP, AIMIM and AIADMK opposed bringing Prime Minister under the purview of a body which would be "accountable to nobody". Shiv Sena, which questioned the very need for Lokpal, RJD, BJD, AIMIM and AIADMK opposed the mandatory provision of Lokayuktas saying it was an attack on the federal structure of the Constitution. MORE