New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) It would be a "mistake" to bring the higher judiciary and prime minister under the Lokpal's ambit, former chief justice of India J.S. Verma has said, adding this would "foul with the basic structure of the constitution."

 
 He also termed as "undemocratic" Gandhian Anna Hazare's threat to go on hunger strike again on Aug 16 if the government does not meet the civil society's demand of bringing a strong Lokpal bill.
 
 "Absolutely not... It would be a mistake. It will foul with the basic structure of the constitution. Judicial review is a basic feature (of the constitution)... for which an independent judiciary is essential," said Verma when asked whether the higher judiciary should be brought under the ambit of Lokpal. Civil rights activists, led by Hazare, have been demanding that the higher judiciary and prime minister should be brought under Lokpal.
 
 "Prime minister should only be accountable through parliament" in a parliamentary democracy that the country has adopted.
 
 "If he (prime minister) is covered in those aspects under ordinary laws, you do not need a Lokpal to cover him for those things," he told Karan Thapar in his Devil's Advocate programme aired on CNN-IBN channel.
 
 "And for the other things, you cannot have a lame duck prime minister because there is no provision for president's rule at the centre," he said.