Engaging civil society in drafting legislation of Lokpal bill 'one-off' experiment: Kapil Sibal

NEW DELHI: After its engagement with Anna Hazare's team to draft a consensus on Lokpal bill flopped, the government on Sunday made it clear that it was a "one-off" experiment and not a precedent.

"I don't say it is a precedent. In the given situation the government was in, it is a decision that we took with open eyes and I don't consider it to be a precedent... the government was in a particular situation," said Human Resources and Development Minister Kapil Sibal in an interview to a news agency.

He was asked about the government's approach if in future activists resorted to agitation to be a part of the law-making process.

To a question if the government agreeing to involve civil society representatives in drafting a legislation was a "one-off" episode, he said "I would imagine so". Sibal, a member of the joint drafting panel, said the draft prepared by the ministers was not the "final bill" and will go through changes after getting inputs from other political parties and members of civil society.

On Hazare's decision to go on another fast if the bill was not passed to his team's satisfaction, Sibal said "when that situation arises, I am sure the government will deal with it".

Sibal reiterated that the government could not allow Hazare and his team to have its way in wanting to create an authority outside the system which would be "accountable to nobody".

Asked why the committee could not come up with a common draft, Kapil Sibal said, "on certain very significant issues, there was a huge divergence of perception and opinion, and the twain could not meet".