In a face to face program with a popular channel, Loksatta Party chief Mr. Jayaprakash Narayan shared his views on the effective and stronger Lokpal Bill the civil society and the government together wants to bring in.

Dr. Narayan said that besides the Prime Minister, the Lokpal should cover ministers, top officials, Chief Ministers and NGOs above a certain threshold. He said the Lokpal's jurisdiction over the Prime Minister, however, should be subject to certain caveats such as recommendation by two-thirds of members to a Parliamentary committee. No allegation against the Prime Minister on a matter relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, etc., should be entertained.

The lower officials should be covered by the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), who would be part of the Lokpal as ex-officio member, but would have separate existence and functions under the CVC Act. Once the CVC was integrated with the Lokpal the body will guide the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI should be divided into two agencies — the normal crime investigation wing and the anti-corruption wing, which would be accountable to the CVC and not to the government. On judiciary, he said that a National Judicial Commission be constituted for judicial appointments and the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill should be enacted into law.

The nine-member Lokpal selection committee as proposed in the Bill was reasonable barring one amendment, Dr. Narayan said. The jurist and eminent citizen should be nominated by the rest of seven members, not the Union government. He also said the Prevention of Corruption Act and other laws be amended to enlarge the definition of corruption, provide for confiscation of properties of corrupt public servants and give prosecution powers to the CVC and Lokayuktas.