Lokpal Bill drafting on fast track

NEW DELHI: The Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill on Monday decided to fast track the process of preparing the anti-corruption legislation as civil society representatives submitted two documents to the government outlining "principles and objects" for the proposed law. "The civil society members on the joint drafting committee presented a document with respect to the objects of the bill as well as a document which enunciated the general principles underlying the bill," HRD Minister and government representative in the committee Kapil Sibal told reporters after the second meeting of the committee.In a bid to fast track the drafting of the bill ahead of June 30 deadline, the committee agreed to meet again on May 7, 23 and 30 to discuss the Bill. The committee may even meet on daily basis in June to keep with the deadline to help government introduce the bill in the Monsoon session, a member said."The talks were very good. The civil society members and we will think about the proposals given by both sides and discuss again in our next meeting to be held on May 7.But the meeting was very good, very cooperative. There was no difference of opinion," Sibal said.Civil society member and lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the main focus of today''s meeting was the basic principles behind the Jan Lokpal Bill. "The discussion was on essential features, objects and reasons of the Bill which has been prepared according to the main provisions of the UN Convention against Corruption," Bhushan said.The documents also highlight the need to set up an effective anti-corruption mechanism so that the faith of the people in the system remains intact, sources said. Both sides agreed to reflect on the documents as well as other suggestions made in the meeting before the next sitting of the group on May 7.Before the introduction in Parliament, the bill has to be cleared by the Union Cabinet. Replying to a question, Sibal said there was no difference of opinion during the meeting.The civil society members explained the principles and objects they had in mind for the Lokpal Bill and "broadly discussed" the issue. "The meeting was extremely conducive to the dialogue that we have decided to initiate.We hope that by June 30 we would have decided on the broad contours and drafted a Lokpal Bill to be introduced in Parliament," Sibal said. He insisted that everything was going according to the plan and the objective is to have a strong Lokpal Bill to "fight the malaise of corruption".The first meeting of the joint committee, formed after Gandhian Anna Hazare led an agitation to press the demand, was held on April 16.

Courtesy: Expressbuzz 

Civil society members invoke U.N. Convention for independent body that covers PM, judiciary

Joint drafting panel on Lokpal Bill holds second meeting; public consultations after agreement on basic principles

Union Ministers and members of the joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill Kapil Sibal, P. Chidambaram, Veerappa Moily and Salman Khurshid emerge from a meeting with civil society members in New Delhi on Monday. — PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT

In the second round of discussions in the joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill here on Monday, members of civil society invoked the United Nations Convention on Corruption to stress that the underlying principle of the anti-corruption law should be to have an independent body that covers the highest executive and the judiciary.

The convention, to which India is a signatory but is yet to ratify it, defines ‘public official' as any person holding a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial office, whether appointed or elected, whether permanent or temporary, whether paid or unpaid, irrespective of that person's seniority.

The civil society members submitted two documents to the government members outlining ‘objects and reasons and the underlying principle' in the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by them. They made several suggestions on the contents of the Bill and the powers and jurisdictions that should come under the legislation. They had tabled their version 2.2 of the draft Bill in the previous meeting.

To their suggestion for public consultations, the government representatives said that once there was agreement on the basic principles of the Bill, it would be put before the public.

Last week the government had sent three volumes of material on the Bill to the civil society members. Volume I comprised eight government Bills that have been drafted since 1998 when the Lokpal Bill was first introduced in Parliament. Volume II comprised the three reports of the Parliament Standing Committees on the subject. Volume III contained 14 suggestions on the draft Bill received by the government.

After the one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting on Monday, both sides expressed the desire to expedite the process of formulation of the Bill by holding quick meetings of the draft panel. The next meeting is scheduled for May 7, followed by other meetings on May 23 and 30 and, “if need be, on daily basis in June.''

“The civil society members presented a document with respect to the objects of the bill as well as a document which enunciated the general principles underlying the bill,'' Human Resource Development Minister and government representative on the panel Kapil Sibal told journalists. The panel is chaired by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Describing the meeting as “cordial,'' he said, “the civil society members and we will think about the proposals given by both sides and discuss again in our next meeting to be held on May 7.''

According to him, “the meeting was extremely conducive to the dialogue that we have decided to initiate. We hope that by June 30 we would have decided on the broad contours and drafted a Lokpal Bill to be introduced in Parliament.''

“The talks are on track,'' anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare told The Hindu.

Civil society members in the committee, Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan also told journalists that the discussion was on essential features, objects and reasons of the Bill which had been prepared according to the main provisions of the UN Convention against Corruption.

Mr. Bhushan said as per the UN Convention Against Corruption, 2005, all signatories to it have to pass this kind of law.