The parliamentary panel looking into the Lokpal Bill is set to be reconstituted on Wednesday, amid estimates that it was a timely opportunity to add to the committee's weight by redrawing its composition in view of the important agenda ahead.
Congress MP and spokesman Abhishek Singhvi is likely to continue as chairman of the 31-member standing committee on law and justice. Sources said civil society has lobbied hard against MPs who are "prejudged on Lokpal issue or on Jan Lokpal authors headed by Anna Hazare.
Congress MP and spokesman Abhishek Singhvi is likely to continue as chairman of the 31-member standing committee on law and justice. Sources said civil society has lobbied hard against MPs who are "prejudged on Lokpal issue or on Jan Lokpal authors headed by Anna Hazare.
There is speculation about the continuation of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Amar Singh on the standing committee. Hazare camp's voluble spokesman Arvind Kejriwal had mocked them for being referees on the Lokpal. While Singh has since parted ways with Samajwadi Party which has now asked Congress for his removal from the panel, Lalu is belligerently opposed to civil society's offensive and made no bones about it in the special debate in Lok Sabha on Saturday.
Sources in the RJD camp said Lalu may not back out in the face of Hazare camp's attack, especially after having repeatedly asked them to come to the standing committee with their Jan Lokpal draft instead of forcing Parliament to enact a bill of their choice.
Civil society has put questions on Congress spokesman Manish Tewari's membership. The Ludhiana MP, known as a legal brain who is also on the JPC on spectrum, had attacked Hazare for corruption but has since regretted his statement, even issuing an appeal to the Gandhian to break his fast.
Sources said besides the obvious names under fire, parties may use the reconstitution opening to rethink their membership in the panel which has become important after Hazare's agitation. They may want to nominate members who would contribute to the tricky issue while articulating the party's stand in the face of hard lobbying by civil society.
Experts said the consultation may see more participation than before because of the publicity to Lokpal issue after Hazare's agitation.
Six of the seven Congress members are not said to know much about law and the party could rethink their names. Given the stakes involved after BJP sided with Hazare's demands politically despite realizing they could test constitutional limits, the opposition party also could review its nominations.