Panel wants 60% babus out of lokpal ambit

The parliamentary panel examining the lokpal bill took a sudden turn on Thursday, reversing its one-day-old recommendation to bring 70% central government bureaucrats under the anti-graft watchdog. The panel, headed by Abhishek Singhvi of the Congress, finally recommended that only the top categories of bureaucrats — Groups A and B — who comprise 11% of central government staff, be brought under the lokpal.

The lokpal will have no control over Group C staff, who account for 60% of central government bureaucrats. Singhvi said, "It has been decided to bring Group C employees under the Central Vigilance Commission."

The decision followed demands by Congress members of the panel for review of Wednesday's decision, arguing that it would not be possible for the lokpal to monitor "around 60 lakh employees".

Earlier in the day, law minister Salman Khurshid said, "The problem is how will lakhs of officers be handled by nine members of the lokpal?"

This angered Opposition MPs, with BJP's Kirti Azad saying it was "improper" to go back on a decision once finalised by the committee. At least 10 committee members belonging to the BJP, SP and Left are likely to submit dissent notes.

Singhvi defended the move: "I received representations from a large number of panel members, who wanted clarity on the categories of bureaucrats to be included under the lokpal and no tampering with the present process to select the CBI director."

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Tags : Civil Law

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Comments

13 years ago vaidyanathan

The nation can do well without the proposed bill by the government since it is of no use unless covered those who all indulge

13 years ago Shashikant V. Patil

Group C employees to be brought under this new Lokpal bill most liable staff of the Govt. As their rate of demands of bribe is less than compare to Gp A Gp B. But many times they takes money by telling their bosses share i.e Gp A & B. So the person who pays bribe innocently pays to Babu for their bossess. Person cannot go directly to officer and ask that how much money he wants for his job to be done. Hence nobody should left or escape from this strong Lokpal bill. Even officer's encouraging corruption involving lower staff for their vested interest.

13 years ago mita basak

13 years ago Dr Sachin Udepurkar

If only Group A and Group B are brought under the ambit of Lokpal bill then the purpose meant to weed out corruption is not fulfilled as Corruption can exist at any levels. If majority people 60 % is excluded than the whole excercise of proposing and making Lokpal stands irrelevant wherein other way to interpret is are only Group A and B employees (11%) corrupt and are prone for same. As of handling lakhs of officers by 10 member commitee can be worked out by various options (if govt is managing whole country i dont think this can be issue) ...like this 10 members will be core board members of Lokpal and there can be execution commitee comprising of apt resources as per volume of cases on the lines of Fast track court who will be working wherein we can say that Lokpal is common mass friend (PAL) and not the group A/B Pal (friend)..... :) With Regards Dr Sachin Udepurkar

13 years ago K S GOSWAMI, Advocate

If the Lokpal is being constituted only for dealing with the top categories of bureaucrats — Groups A and B — who comprise 11% of central government staff but not for dealing with bureaucrats belonging to Group C staff, who account for 60% of central government bureaucrats and much more in the State Government, there is no necessity of bringing out such Bill. Let it go as is going today without any check and balance. It appears that the majority of the bureaucrats has good nexus with and is under the protective umbrella of the Government and the Government does not want to control over them.