For those who argue that ministers should not come within the ambit of the proposed Lokpal, here is a reminder that self-regulation can only be a convenient escape and not a practical solution.

PTI reported on Wednesday that President Pratibha Patil had rejected the city Lokayukta's recommendation to sack Delhi PWD minister Raj Kumar Chauhan for his alleged involvement in protecting a leading resort in a tax evasion case.

The home ministry on Wednesday conveyed the decision of the president to the Lokayukta through a letter. "The president has not accepted the findings and recommendations made by the Lokayukta against Chauhan," sources familiar with the contents of the letter told PTI.

Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin had in February recommended to the president to "withdraw her pleasure" for the minister to continue in office, holding him guilty of misconduct of "grave nature".

Justice Sarin's order had come in a case pertaining to Chauhan's alleged involvement in influencing a team of tax officials when they were carrying out a survey in the Tivoli Garden resort in South Delhi in February last year.

The Lokayukta order had said that "the minister made a telephone call to the commissioner of trade of taxes in the evening of February 20 last year when a team of tax officials were carrying search and survey at the premises of Tivoli Garden Resort to unearth huge evasion of taxes and concealment of income."

Earlier this month, Delhi government had sent a detailed report to the union home ministry rejecting the Lokayukta's recommendation. The home ministry had asked Delhi government to file a report on Lokayukta's recommendation.

In his defence, Chauhan had said as public representative, he gets lots of calls from people requesting for favours and he only responded to such a call.

However, as the case highlights, ministers should not be exempted from investigation merely because of their status as ministers. In fact, ministers are more likely to be confronted with opportunities for corruption.

Therefore, even as the president did not accept the Lokayukta's suggestion in this case, the need to bring ministers under the ambit of the corruption watchdog cannot be overstated. While the state ministers come under the purview of the Lokayukta, the central ministers are being sought to b brought within the ambit of the proposed Lokpal.