UPA, BJP, Team Anna quibble over voting resolution

Sharp differences broke out among Team Anna, the government and the Opposition on Friday over the wording of the resolution for the debate in both Houses of Parliament on various drafts of the Lokpal Bill.

The government, after overnight consultations and confabulations among its leaders, formulated a resolution which said: 'The document 'Jan Lokpal Bill' drafted by members of the civil society under the leadership of Anna Hazare as also the proposals by prominent civil society groups and eminent citizens for addressing issues of corruption'.

However, when this was presented to Team Anna it did not agree to it and sent its own version of the resolution. It wanted government servants at all levels to be included and the setting up of Lokayuktas in states.

Team Anna's draft of the resolution states: 'The House resolves that a Lokpal Bill which will set up an independent Lokpal institution be enacted quickly to effectively deal with the prevailing rampant corruption in the country.

'The House further resolves that such law would cover all levels of government servants. Such law would also provide a framework for setting up of similar Lokayuktas in the states and would also include effective provisions for redressal of grievances which affect the common people in the country.'

The Bharatiya Janata Party demanded a discussion under Rule 184 (which entails voting) in the Lok Sabha and Rule 168 in the Rajya Sabha. It framed a resolution which seeks to find a middle ground between the government and Team Anna's resolutions.

An all-party meeting was convened to end the impasse over the resolution and holding a discussion on the Lokpal issue. The BJP resolution for the debate on Lokpal wants the prime minister to be included under the ambit of the ombudsman and an independent mechanism for his appointment.

The BJP's resolution was submitted by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj in the Lower House and her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley in the Upper House.

The BJP resolution reads: '...the House further resolves that such a law should have the widest coverage including the prime minister with the exception of his national security and public order functions, create an appointment mechanism for appointing Lokpals which may be independent of the government domination and provide for an independent and autonomous CBI.

'...The House again resolves that the appointments and accountability mechanism should be regulated by the National Judicial Commission in respect of the judiciary.'

The BJP resolution further states that such a law should cover all levels of government servants and provide for a framework for setting up of Lokayuktas with similar powers in the states which would also provide for effective redressal of grievances of the common people.

It says due consideration should be given to the provisions contained in Article 105 (which provides immunity to a member of Parliament for his conduct inside Parliament) and Article 311 (which deals with rights of lower bureaucracy).