Centre to change laws guiding CBI, Lokpal

New Delhi: With an aim to ensure that there is no requirement of “quorum” in the respective selection panels for choosing the anti-corruption ombudsman or the CBI chief, the government is moving fast to amend Lokpal Act and also the law governing the functioning of the CBI.

It is learnt that the law ministry has finalised a proposal of the department of personnel and training to amend the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act to insert a clause which will make it clear that the proceedings of the respective selection committees are not held as “invalid” due to a lack of quorum.

At present, the two laws are silent on quorum but the government thought it appropriate to amend the acts to ensure that the decisions of the two respective selection panels are not challenged in a court of law as being invalid.

Besides putting a clause on quorum, the government is also amending the DSPE Act to make way for the leader of the single largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha as a member of the selection panel in absence of a recognised LoP in the Lower House.