During their presentation, the team pressed for wholesale changes in government’s Lokpal bill.
The Team Anna on Thursday met the parliamentary standing committee, which is examining the Lokpal Bill, and suggested at least 34 amendments to the government’s draft of the anti-corruption ombudsman bill.
Describing the two hour meeting as ‘positive’, key team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said: “We gave a presentation but there were no questions today. We explained all the amendments we are seeking. There will be another meeting tomorrow (Friday) where we would reply to the questions of committee members.”
Anna Hazare, who didn’t attend the meeting and is yet to break his vow of silence (maun vrat), was expected to reach the national capital on Thursday night and would be attending the Friday’s meeting along with his team.
Besides Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan and Kiran Bedi also attended the meeting. Bedi said they have requested the committee to make Uttrakhand-Lokayukt Act unanimously passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly the basis for their Lokpal.
After Team Anna’s meeting on Friday, the committee is expected to wrap up its work and finalise its report so that the government could table it in parliament up during the winter session.
During their presentation, the team pressed for wholesale changes in government’s Lokpal bill, including amendments to Indian constitution’s Article 105 (2) (dealing with immunity for MPs acts inside parliament) and Article 311 (1) (regarding dismissal of civil servants).
They also pressed for the Centre’s Lokpal Act paving way for creation of lokayuktas in states, a strong procedure for selection and removal of Lokpal members and merging of CBI into Lokpal. They further want the lokpal to have independence and autonomy and power to tap telephones.
Anna has threatened to go on fast again from the last day of the winter-session if the government fails to pass a strong anti-graft law.
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