Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to review Lokpal rules

NEW DELHI: The Modi government has decided to put a citizens’ grievances law proposed by the UPA government on its list of top priorities to curb corruption, but has asked its Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to review the rules about Lokpal appointments notified by its predecessor.

A committee has been constituted under Rohatgi's leadership to suggest changes to the Lokpal search committee rules and the process for appointing the Lokpal would only be initiated after its recommendations are incorporated.

Passing a law to deal with citizens’ grievances, changing the anti-corruption law and operationalizing the LokPal are the Modi government’s top three priorities to cope with corruption, minister of state in the PMO Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The PMO has tasked the ministry of personnel and administrative reforms with these immediate thrust areas of the government in a communique late last month, Singh said in response to a query about the strategy to eradicate corruption.

A citizens’ grievances bill was introduced by the UPA in 2011, called the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, but it had lapsed with the dissolution of the previous Lok Sabha and would need to be brought to Parliament all over again.

The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill is presently pending in the Rajya Sabha and has been examined by a parliamentary panel that has recommended a number of changes. No final decision has been taken on these recommendations, the the junior minister in the PMO said.