Finally, Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi cabinet cleared the Jan Lokpal Bill in yesterday evening. The bill could be tabled in the assembly next week. Delhi Lokpal bill is based on the Lokpal bill of Uttarakhand, which was drafted by Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in 2011, sources said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had promised that the party will introduce Jan Lokpal Bill to bring down corruption in the capital. Now below get complete details of Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill.
Delhi Cabinet Passes Jan Lokpal Bill
The Bill envisages the establishment of an independent authority to investigate offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and it also covers the chief minister’s office.
During 49-days stint as CM, Kejriwal had resigned from the post citing reasons over deadlock on Jan Lokpal Bill.
The AAP government has decided to introduce six bills, including Code of Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill, Delhi School Education Amendment Bill and Minimum Wages Amendment Bill in the Assembly session which is to continue till November 28.
After, the bill got the cabinet approval, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia tweeted :
The historic Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill is passed by Delhi Cabinet. Congrats to all who have spent days and nights for it.
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 18, 2015
Jan Lokpal Bill Important Points
The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen’s ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn up by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year.
1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up
2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.
3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.
4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month’s time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.
7. But won’t the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won’t be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.
8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.
10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.
For more updates, stay tuned with us. Be Happy 🙂
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