More transparency sought in drafting of Lokpal Bill

However,these are being organised by the civil society groups on their own initiative and are not officially sanctioned by the committee.

As the process of public consultations on the move to set up a strong office of Lokpal begins on Sunday,a section of the civil society has demanded greater transparency and inclusion in the process of drafting of the Lokpal Bill.

The National Convention for Peoples Right to Information (NCPRI) has written to the joint drafting committee consisting of five government and five non-government representatives asking for information regarding the Terms of Reference for the exercise and the procedure adopted for drafting the legislation.

The NCPRI,which was at the forefront of the campaign that led to the enactment of the Right to Information Act,2005,said the drafting committee had already met three times and yet no clarity had emerged regarding the process being followed.

Incidentally,two of the non-government representatives on the committee,lawyer Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal,are members of the working committee of NCPRI. So is Aruna Roy,who is also part of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC).

In its letter to the co-chairs of the committee,Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and lawyer Shanti Bhushan,the NCPRI has asked about the process of public consultations to be held and the schedule and programme for such meetings,if decided.

Incidentally,the activists spearheading the campaign for a stronger legislation for the setting up the office of Lokpal are beginning the process of public hearings from Sunday when three such meetings are planned in Delhi. However,these are being organised by the civil society groups on their own initiative and are not officially sanctioned by the committee.