Santosh Hegde to stay put, no changes in Lok Pal panel

Karnataka Lok Ayukta Santosh Hegde will continue on the joint committee drafting the Lok Pal Bill, said civil society representatives on Saturday after the government's conciliatory gestures to bridge the growing rift between the two sides because of allegations by senior political leaders of the ruling UPA.

There will be no change in the composition of the panel, they said on Saturday after a meeting to discuss the controversies and allegations against its members.

Hegde, a former Supreme Court judge, had threatened to quit as he felt "hurt with the "smear campaign" launched against the representatives. He singled out Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh who said, "It is said he (Hegde) is so effective...but when he hasn't been able to check corruption in Karnataka...what sort of efficacy is this?"

On Saturday, civil society representatives said they would write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Justice SH Kapadia to conduct an independent inquiry into "any allegation against any member of the committee".

Finance minister and committee chairman Pranab Mukherjee stepped in to mend fences with the civil society representatives on Friday. The FM said the government will work with the all the members to prepare a “good Lok Pal Bill”. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also threw his weight behind the joint drafting committee and reiterated his government's commitment to introduce the Lok Pal Bill in the monsoon session of parliament.

The Congress steered clear of the issue of inclusion of a Dalit representative on the Lok Pal committee. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati made the demand on Friday. “These are matters for the government and the committee to decide and it is not for the party to comment,” said party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi.