Lokpal: Mallikarjun Kharge declines to be part of selection panel

Amid mounting criticism of the Centre for not appointing Lokpal even in the last year of its rule, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday once again declined the government's offer to join the Selection Committee in the capacity of a special invitee.In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge charged the government for wasting four years in the fight against corruption by not amending the Lokpal Act to include the leader of the single-largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha as member of the Selection Committee under section 4 (1) of the Act.Facing heat from the Supreme Court and anti-corruption crusaders, including Anna Hazare, the government is expected to finalise an "eminent jurist" member on the panel in the Selection Committee meeting.Kharge's decision to skip the meeting has put the government in a bind as it has already submitted in the court that without having the Leader of Opposition in the Committee, the government cannot nominate the fifth member – an eminent jurist.The government has also told the court on more than one occasion that it would soon be taking up the amendment in the parliament to pave the way for operationalising the institution.In his letter, Kharge charged the government of having double standards in amending Lokpal Act as a similar amendment was made to the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act in 2014 to include leader of the single largest opposition party as a member and not special invitee of the Selection Committee to appoint Director of the CBI."You would be aware that the Amendment bills to the Lokayukta Act to include Leader of the single largest opposition party in the Selection Committee were moved an even approved by the Select Committee. Yet till date your government has never bothered to list the same for debate or voting," said Kharge.Warning the government that the process of appointing the Lokpal would be vitiated if the voice of the opposition was not included, Kharge asked the government to bring in the necessary amendment (to accord the status of leader of opposition to the single largest opposition party) through an ordinance if it is serious of appointing Lokpal with the sanctity it deserves.