By IANS,
New Delhi: Some of the experts appearing before a parliamentary panel scrutinising the Lokpal bill Saturday expressed reservations over the Jan Lokpal bill of Anna Hazare, calling some of its provisions “extra-constitutional”.
Representation to weaker sections in the selection panel for Lokpal and respect for federal structure in any law dealing with appointment of Lokayukta in states were among the issues that also came up at the meeting.
Some legal experts and activists gave their suggestions at the meeting of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, headed by Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Sources said that the panel looked at various versions of the draft bill, including the one drafted by Jayaprakash Narayan of the Lok Satta Party.
Apart from Narayan, Pratap Bhanu Mehta of the Centre for Policy Research, Bar Council of India chairman Ashok Parija, former solicitor general Harish Salve, and Justice Party chief Udit Raj appeared before the committee.
Some of those who appeared before the panel suggested that prime minister, judiciary and conduct of MPs in parliament should be kept out of the ambit of the proposed Lokpal bill.
They suggested setting up a national judicial commission to look into matters related to the judiciary and strengthening the Central Vigilance Commission.
The sources said some members of the panel asked questions about the possibility of extending the ambit of ombudsman to the private sector.