Jaitley slams govt for not accepting parliamentary panel recommendation
2 Feb 2013 7:00 AM IST
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley on Friday slammed the government for not accepting two recommendations of a Parliamentary Committee, saying this would deny clear autonomy to Lokpal and render it weak. Jaitley who was a member of the Select Committee, also questioned the government for taking the proposed legislation to the Cabinet as it is the property of Parliament.
The BJP leader in particular picked on the government for rejecting the committee’s recommendation that Lokpal should have absolute control over CBI officers investigating cases referred to them by the anti-graft ombudsman. Jaitley argued that the government’s contention that a CBI officer probing a case referred by Lokpal can be transfered by the agency without approval of Lokpal would ensure that the officers would not be able to function without fear or favour.
‘Removing the investigative officer and replacing him with a pliable officer cannot be the discretion of the government... There is no plausible reason why the government has chosen to reject this recommendation of the Select Committee which would have strengthened the institution of Lokpal,’ Jaitley said.
Attacking the UPA government for not accepting a recommendation with regard to denying chance of hearing to an accused public servant before formal trial begins, the BJP leader stated, ‘Such an probe, though ostensibly appears to be in compliance of the principles of natural justice, would be destructive of any effective probe against a delinquent public servant’.
The BJP leader in particular picked on the government for rejecting the committee’s recommendation that Lokpal should have absolute control over CBI officers investigating cases referred to them by the anti-graft ombudsman. Jaitley argued that the government’s contention that a CBI officer probing a case referred by Lokpal can be transfered by the agency without approval of Lokpal would ensure that the officers would not be able to function without fear or favour.
‘Removing the investigative officer and replacing him with a pliable officer cannot be the discretion of the government... There is no plausible reason why the government has chosen to reject this recommendation of the Select Committee which would have strengthened the institution of Lokpal,’ Jaitley said.
Attacking the UPA government for not accepting a recommendation with regard to denying chance of hearing to an accused public servant before formal trial begins, the BJP leader stated, ‘Such an probe, though ostensibly appears to be in compliance of the principles of natural justice, would be destructive of any effective probe against a delinquent public servant’.
Next Story
