Three months after the civil society initiated a movement, the Union Cabinet today approved the Lokpal Bill keeping the office of Prime Minister outside its purview during his term in office and also excluded higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside Parliament.
The Bill, which has included some of the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by Team Anna Hazare, gives permission to Lokpal to probe any Union Minister or officials of Group A and above without any sanction.
At the meeting, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, insisted that his office be included in the legislation, but the Cabinet decided otherwise, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ms Ambika Soni, told reporters after the meeting.
She said the Prime Minister was heard with “great respect” but the ministers discussed the “pitfalls” of such a proposal including its possible adverse effect on the stability of a government and creation of uncertainty.
The Bill will be introduced in Parliament in the first two days of the Monsoon session beginning August 1.