Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad
High Court on Wednesday dismissed a writ petition which challenged a
resolution for constitution of Lokpal Bill drafting committee
saying that it is within the government's executive power.
The order was passed by a division bench of Justices
Pradeep Kant and Vedpal on a writ petition filed by lawyer
Ashok Pandey challenging a resolution issued by the Centre for
constituting a joint drafting committee for the Lokpal bill.
The resolution was issued by Law Ministry on April 8.
Dismissing the petition the court in its order said it is
within the executive power of the Government to constitute a
committee of members comprising such persons from the society
as it thinks fit for drafting of the bill.
"There is no vested right in any citizen to be consulted
by the Government of India except as provided by law. Where
the law does not vest any such right, as is in the present
case, no person can seek as a matter of right his
representation in the committee," it said.
The bench said the committee has been constituted to
assist the Government in finalising the bill.
"The value to be attached to the bill so prepared by the
committee can be assessed only by the Government, for before a
legislation is validly transmitted into law, it has to go
through the constitutional process. Thus, the committee so
constituted in no way impinges upon the sovereign will of the
people of India, which lies in the Parliament," it observed.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 22:29