Senior advocate to the Supreme Court Fali Sam Nariman has declined the role to be part of the Lokpal Search Committee which caused a major embarrassment to the government. On February 21, Nariman was named as one among the search committee which recommends names for selection of chairperson and members for the Lokpal panel.

Nariman has wrote a letter to the Prime Minsiter's office regarding his declination of the job. He wrote, “I decline the honour. In my humble view, this is no way in which an institution as vital and as important as the Lokpal is to be constituted. The chairperson and members of the Lokpal as ultimately selected may well be projected as democratically chosen by a broad consensus from amongst two levels of selectors, but it is precisely for that reason that I do fear that the most competent the most independent and the most courageous will get overlooked.”

The selection panel comprises Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of Opposition, Supreme Court Judge. Earlier, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj was out-voted 3-1 on nominating senior lawyer P P Rao on the selection committee. Sushma opposed Rao’s name on the ground that he was a ‘Congress loyalist’ and had represented the ruling side in several court cases.

(AW: Vamshi)