New Delhi: The government is learnt to have
deleted the term `minorities` from the Lokpal Bill with regard
to the provision of having 50 per cent quota in the Lokpal
bench and the Search Committee.
Sources said the term was deleted after it was pointed
out that there is no provision of reservation for minorities
in the Constitution and such a provision in the Bill would
create complications.
Legal experts informed the government that reservation
for minorities in Lokpal bench and Search Committee would
require a constitutional amendment which the government felt
would be difficult at this juncture.
According to the Cabinet note circulated on the Bill
yesterday, the government has proposed 50 per cent reservation
for SC/ST, OBCs, Minorities and Women in the Lokpal bench and
in the Search Committee. Half of the bench would be members
from judicial background. This is a departure from the
original bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August.
Now a correction has been made in the legislation by
dropping the word `minorities`.
PTI
