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Trinamool firm on amendment to remove Lokayuktas from bill

December 29, 2011 11:56 IST
As the government scrambles for numbers to pass the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, its ally the Trinamool Congress on Thursday mounted pressure on it by insisting on moving an amendment to delete the provision for setting up Lokayuktas at the state level.

The Trinamool Congress, which has six members in the Rajya Sabha, said it will "strongly" oppose the provision and want the deletion of Part III of The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, which deals with setting up of Lokayuktas at the state level.

"We have already submitted our amendments. We are going to press for it," Mukul Roy, Trinamool leader and minister of state for shipping, told reporters in New Delhi.

The bill passed by the Lok Sabha two days ago has provisions for setting up Lokayuktas in the states with the consent of state governments.

Asked whether the six party MPs will vote against the bill, he said the question does not arise as of now.

"After the discussions and after amendments are over, the question of voting will arise. But till now, the Trinamool is firm in its opinion that Part III of the bill be deleted from the original bill," Roy said.

"We are just pressing for the deletion of the Lokayukta part, We have no problem with the Lokpal part," he said, adding that they are in favour of Lokayuktas but it should be done by the states and not the Centre.

He said he and other party leaders have spoken to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to sort out the issue.

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