Bringing the Office of Prime Minister under the ambit of Lokpal would “not be advisable”, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said today.
Dr Singh, who had earlier stated that he was not against the Office of the Prime Minister being brought under the Lokpal’s purview, told reporters that the Government has taken the decision after “taking all factors into account“.
“Well, our government has taken a view taking all factors into account. It would not be advisable to bring the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lokpal, except when he demits office,” Dr Singh said on the eve of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. The Lokpal Bill would be introduced in Lok Sabha by August 3.
At the July 28 Cabinet meeting which cleared the Lokpal Bill, Dr Singh had insisted that his office should be brought within the ambit of the legislation, but the Cabinet decided otherwise.
His comments came a day after the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, said bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal would result in “institutionalised permanent instability” at the Centre.