<p>The Committee of Secretaries on Lokpal Bill, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, met here recently to consider suggestions to provide more teeth to the proposed legislation.<br />Sources in the government said the meeting considered suggestions by private individuals and NGOs to make the mechanism more effective.<br /><br />One of the criticisms is that the Lokpal will not have any power to either initiate action suo motu in any case or even receive complaints of corruption from general public.<br /><br />The public will make complaints to the Lok Sabha Speaker or Rajya Sabha Chairperson. Only those complaints forwarded by them would be investigated by the Lokpal.<br />This, some feel, will severely restrict the functioning of the Lokpal.<br /><br />Some NGOs have also objected to the restriction of the three-member panel of Lokpal to retired judges and want eminent people from other walks of life to be a part of the panel.<br />The government is keen on giving a "final shape" to the bill in the coming days.<br /><br />A Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee formed recently to suggest means to tackle corruption plans to come out with concrete suggestions on the bill during the Budget session beginning tomorrow so that the proposed legislation can be discussed with opposition parties to evolve a consensus.<br /><br />"The government will derelict from its duty if it does not bring the Lokpal Bill in the Budget session," Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) told reporters here today after an all-party meeting convened by the Speaker ahead of the session.<br /><br />Other members of the Committee of Secretaries include, the Home Secretary, Secretary, DoPT, the Law Secretary and Secretary Legislative Affairs - who is responsible for vetting bills before they are sent for Cabinet nod.</p>
<p>The Committee of Secretaries on Lokpal Bill, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, met here recently to consider suggestions to provide more teeth to the proposed legislation.<br />Sources in the government said the meeting considered suggestions by private individuals and NGOs to make the mechanism more effective.<br /><br />One of the criticisms is that the Lokpal will not have any power to either initiate action suo motu in any case or even receive complaints of corruption from general public.<br /><br />The public will make complaints to the Lok Sabha Speaker or Rajya Sabha Chairperson. Only those complaints forwarded by them would be investigated by the Lokpal.<br />This, some feel, will severely restrict the functioning of the Lokpal.<br /><br />Some NGOs have also objected to the restriction of the three-member panel of Lokpal to retired judges and want eminent people from other walks of life to be a part of the panel.<br />The government is keen on giving a "final shape" to the bill in the coming days.<br /><br />A Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee formed recently to suggest means to tackle corruption plans to come out with concrete suggestions on the bill during the Budget session beginning tomorrow so that the proposed legislation can be discussed with opposition parties to evolve a consensus.<br /><br />"The government will derelict from its duty if it does not bring the Lokpal Bill in the Budget session," Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) told reporters here today after an all-party meeting convened by the Speaker ahead of the session.<br /><br />Other members of the Committee of Secretaries include, the Home Secretary, Secretary, DoPT, the Law Secretary and Secretary Legislative Affairs - who is responsible for vetting bills before they are sent for Cabinet nod.</p>