Gujarat government forms panel to study Lokpal Bill

The Gujarat government on Wednesday announced a high-level committee to study the impact of the likely amendments in the Lokpal Bill on the Gujarat Lok Ayukta Act and to suggest remedial measures for the same.

This comes even as the state government is non-committal on the appointment of a Lok Ayukta in the state.

“The committee has been constituted to study the impact of any potential amendments in Lokpal Bill as a result of the talks between the union government and civil society members led by Anna Hazare.

The committee will also suggest amendments needed in the Gujarat Lokayukta Act and other relevant changes in related laws as a result of it,” state government spokesperson and health minister Jaynarayan Vyas told reporters.

Vyas said that the decision to form the committee was taken during Wednesday’s cabinet meeting. “The decision has been taken to further strengthen the Lok Ayukta,” he said.

The five-member committee will be headed by state finance minister Vaju Vala. Besides Jaynarayan Vyas, the committee will also comprise law minister Dileep Sanghani, minister of state for law, Pradipsinh Jadeja and minister of state for planning Ranjit Gilitwala.

“The committee will begin work as soon as there are any amendments in the Lokpal Bill, and submit its report at the earliest,” Vyas said.   

What this also means is that until and unless an amended Lokpal Bill is tabled before the Parliament, the committee will have nothing to do. Detractors say that the committee is just another gimmick by the state government.

Asked about the appointment of a Lokayukta by the Gujarat government, Vyas said that the matter was under the government's consideration.

He declined to divulge a specific timeframe within which the key post was likely to be filled.

He, however, claimed that formation of the committee would not impact the process of appointing the Lok Ayukta.