Lokpal Bill back in Rajya Sabha with half a dozen amendments

The Rajya Sabha select committee, formed to look into the Lokpal Bill, tabled its report in the house on Friday with half a dozen amendments.

The committee has suggested several changes including that of making the CBI more independent, the conditional inclusion of the prime minister under the Lokpal, and the mandatory setting up of Lokayuktas by state governments within a year of the Lokpal Act coming into force.

Chairman of the commitee,Satyavrat Chaturvedi told the media that the changes will have to be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

He said the government will not have to consider the amendments proposed by the committee and the bill “as amended” by the panel will come up for discussion. Once the bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha, it will go to the Lok Sabha as amended.