The UPA Government’s move to fasten the setting up of lokpal hit a roadblock on Thursday after eminent jurist Fali Nariman refused to be part of the process to select the names for various posts of the body. Nariman said he "fears that the multi-layered procedure could overlook the most competent, independent and courageous persons."

In a letter to V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the PMO, Nariman said he declines the “honour" to be part of the committee. "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 (upper and lower), 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,” he wrote.

Arun Jaitley, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Search Committee member of lokpal, welcomed Nariman’s decision to quit. “Obviously, men of stature will not agree to become rubber stamps. The Government had decided to pack the Search Committee with its supporters. Amongst the names suggested for the Search Committee included the names of Government lawyers.”

“Thus, only Government lawyers from the legal fraternity and a de facto Congress spokesman from amongst the media were proposed on the Search Committee. Sushma Swaraj did not agree to these names. The Government should realise that an institution does not belong to one political party. The more fair and credible institutions we create, the better it will be for the system. Marginalising the Search Committee or deciding to pack the lokpal with ‘friendly names’ is not necessarily in the interest of the institution. The UPA has done enough damage to the CBI, CAG, PAC, JPC and the CVC. I hope, the lokpal survives this assault,” sad Jaitley.

Reacting to Nariman's decision, MoS Narayanasamy said: “I would like to make it very clear transparent method has been followed. The process was followed very properly. As far as the selection of members of the search committee is concerned, Fali Nariman was one among the jurists who have been considered... It is for the person concerned either to accept or not to accept.”