BJP categorical that PM should be within ambit of Lokpal

Advani said he had been in favour of keeping the PM within the purview of Lokpal since 1988.

BJP on Monday shed its reluctance to spell out its stand on the proposed Lokpal with its seniormost leaders L K Advani,Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh categorically saying the party wanted the Prime Minister to come within the ambit of the ombudsman.

In his latest blog posting,Advani said he had been in favour of keeping the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lokpal since 1988. He pointed out that the 1998 and 2001 drafts prepared by erstwhile NDA governments were clear on the issue.

He said as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in 1988 he had signed a dissent note with some other prominent MPs against a draft Lokpal Bill prepared by the Rajiv Gandhi government.

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“In the course of our examination of the Lok Ayuktas’ functioning in the states we found that in several states,the Chief Ministers of those states also came within the purview of the Lok Ayukta. We have been strongly of the view that the office of the Prime Minister also should be similarly brought within the purview of the Lokpal,” the dissent note stated.

The senior BJP leader further states that the 1989 and 1996 drafts of the Lokpal Bill also had the Prime Minister within the ambit of the ombudsman.

“The Lokpal Bills presented subsequently by NDA governments under Atal Bihari Vajpayee also covered the Prime Minister. I well remember that Atalji as PM was very insistent that the Prime Minister should not be kept out of the Lokpal’s jurisdiction,” Advani said.

Jaitley insisted that since the Prime Minister enjoys no immunity from the Prevention of Corruption Act,or probes by the CBI and state police,he should come under the ambit of the Lokpal except on matters of national security and public order.

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