After years of fight, the Lokpal Bill is all set to become law on Monday as the Parliament has reached consensus over it, with UPA and NDA both supporting the present draft. Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday initiated the debate on Lokpal in Rajya Sabha. The bill was in pending status in Rajya Sabha since last two years after Lok Sabha passed the bill after the government faced agitation over it across India.
Here are some of the salient features between the earlier draft and the present bill.
- Every state will now have to set up Lokayuktas within 365 days from the date of the Act. Earlier draft said that it will only be applicable to states that give consent.
- Even after the demand of making the Central Bureau of investigation an autonomous body by the civil society members, there has been no amendment on it. The apex agency will come under the purview of Lokpal body only for Lokpal referred cases. The earlier draft stated the same. The new draft states that the CBI officers won't be transferred. The Union Law Minister said that it would have affected the functioning of the CBI.
- The original bill gave power to the Centre to appoint state Lokayuka while the new draft gives this power to the states.
- Lokpal will now be appointed by five-member body. Earlier draft doesn't had provision on appointing Lokpal by a five-member body.
- In the new draft, bureaucrats under investigation will have right to state their case. Earlier draft had same provision.
- The new draft states that Lokpal will have jurisdiction over NGOs other than religious bodies while earlier didn't have provision for jurisdiction over NGOs
Comments
0 comment