New Delhi: The Parliamentary Panel on Lokpal Bill, which is divided on inclusion of Prime Minister under the ambit of the anti-corruption watchdog, will take a call on the issue at its meeting this week, its chairman Abhishek Singhvi said on Sunday.
“We have to discuss the issue at the next meeting,” Singhvi said, adding, “we are now at the stage of report adoption and we hope to complete the work within this week”.
A consensus on the inclusion of the Prime Minister under the purview of Lokpal has so far eluded the panel with members sharply divided on the issue.
Congress members backed the Government version that any case against the Prime Minister should be investigated by Lokpal seven years after he demits office. They felt that if a serving Prime Minister was brought under Lokpal, he may face frivolous complaints. BJP members felt that the Prime Minister should be brought under Lokpal with certain safeguards like excluding issues relating to internal security and foreign affairs. BSP, RJD and LJP are totally against such inclusion of the Prime Minister. (PTI)