Lokpal panel: BJP opposes Prime Minister's proposal to make P P Rao member

New Delhi: The government and the BJP are heading for another face-off over constitution of selection panel for Lokpal, with the opposition party rejecting Prime Minister's proposal to appoint senior lawyer P.P. Rao as member and sought President's intervention on it.

In a turn of events reminiscent to BJP's opposition to the appointment of P.J. Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner two years ago, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj refused to back the government nominee in the category of eminent jurist in the Lokpal panel and registered her dissent during the proceedings of the meeting last night,sources said.

Swaraj has now sought time from President Pranab Mukherjee for a meeting, pleading for his intervention to bring about unanimity in the appointment of the panel member. The Leader of Opposition was outvoted with three votes going in favour of the government nominee in the meeting at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence to select the fifth member of the panel, they said.

She had opposed Rao's name, saying he has been a "Congress loyalist" and instead proposed the name of former Attorney General K. Parasaran, in a bid to bring about unanimity among the panel members.

She demanded that the panel should be "free from such people" and said it should have "apolitical people" and should not be made a "captive body", according to the sources. Swaraj had said that since this is the first time the anti-corruption ombudsman was being appointed in the country, there should be unanimity on the appointments.

Since the Prime Minister did not approve Parasaran's name, she suggested the names of eminent jurists Soli Sorabjee and Harish Salve for the key panel and even suggested deferring the meeting by a day or two to broadbase the panel of names put forth by the government.

She said seven names were put forth before the panel chaired by the Prime Minister and having Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Chief Justice of India representative Supreme Court judge H L Dattu besides herself as its members.

On her proposed meeting with the President on the issue, Swaraj said she would seek his intervention for bringing unanimity on the important appointment, as the country which was waiting for the last 40 years for Lokpal should have faith on the appointments.

The sources said despite her opposition, the other three members of the selection panel gave a go-ahead to Rao's membership, after attempts by the Prime Minister to bring her around did not succeed. She later accused the government of not having an "open mind" on the sensitive issue of Lokpal appointment and would now seek redressal with the President.

The opposition leader had openly voiced her disagreement on Rao's name saying the former Advocate General was clearly identified with the Congress party and thus sought a neutral name. Swaraj wanted more time be given to the panel to select its fifth member from among a broad-based list of names of eminent jurists and "not pack the anti-corruption body with their loyalists".

Sources said among the seven names put forth the panel by the government included names of Fali Nariman, Mohan Gopal and Chandrasekhar Pillai besides others. This is the second time that the government and the opposition are headed for a showdown on the issue of a key appointment.

The Leader of Opposition had earlier vehemently opposed the appointment of P J Thomas, a bureaucrat, as CVC but the government went ahead with the appointment. He was later removed after Supreme Court's intervention.

The five-member Selection Committee will appoint the chairman and members of the anti-corruption body. The Centre has sought nomination of eligible candidates for appointing the chairperson and eight members of Lokpal. The last date of sending nomination is February 7.

Of the eight posts for members in the Lokpal, four are for judicial side while the remaining for non-judicial work. The chairperson and members shall be appointed by the President after obtaining the recommendations of the selection panel.

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, provides for the establishment of a Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into allegations of corruption against public functionaries.