Keeping CBI out Lokpal does two things. One, CBI continues to be under the administrative control of the government (through DoPT), as it is the case now, and prone to its abuse as a political weapon against allies and rivals alike. That is why CBI has failed in its job to fight corruption in the first place.

Two, it denies Lokpal, the apex anti-corruption watchdog, an investigating arm and power. The draft of Lokpal bill cleared by the cabinet on Tuesday night says Lokpal will have an ‘enquiry’ wing which will look into complaints and if the investigation thereafter becomes necessary, the complaints will be passed on to the CBI. The Lokpal will have supervisory powers over the CBI in such cases as referred by it. This kind of arrangement exists today. The CVC has supervisory powers over CBI but it has not worked.

Do you think keeping CBI out of Lokpal is a good idea? What is the point in setting up a Lokpal which resembles a failed CVC, especially when the government has offered no weighty reason to justify keeping CBI with it and introduced a Lokpal with debilitating congenital defects?