Lokpal Bill Tabled in Lok Sabha
After two adjournments of the Lok Sabha, the UPA govt finally tabled the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill in Parliament on Thursday Dec 22,2011well past the scheduled time of 2 pm.
Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs, V Narayanasamy introduced the Bill after withdrawing the previous draft.
The government also introduced a separate Bill to amend the constitution to confer constitutional status to the proposed institution here and in states. This would need separate two-thirds backing in both houses which the ruling coalition does not have.
The two Bills would be taken up for debate in the Lok Sabha December 27 and will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Both houses meet December 27-29 to discuss the proposed Lokpal Bill.
The 64-page Lokpal Bill brings the PM under the purview of Lokpal with certain conditions but keeps out CBI from its control. However, the Lokpal will have superintendence over CBI in corruption cases referred by it to the investigation agency.It has been proposed that the CBI Director will be selected by a three-member committee comprising the Prime Minister, leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court Judge nominated by him.
Comments from Anna Hazare and Team Anna on Lokpal Bill
Anna Hazare reiterated that the new Lokpal Bill is very weak and will not help in tackling corruption. The question raised here is why is the Govt scared of including CBI in Lokpal Bill?.Anna dares Sonia Gandhi to debate the Lokpal Bill in public.
Team Anna on Thursday rejected the Lokpal Bill tabled in Lok Sabha terming it as an “anti-people and dangerous” legislation that allows the Government to work as a “big brother”
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the new Bill was “worse” than the one introduced in August as the government does not want an anti-corruption ombudsman.This Bill is not even 10%of what we have asked for.
Kiran Bedi addresses media: She says:
- Govt fooling people with its Lokpal Bill draft.
- Govt's Lokpal a campaign to save CBI.
Lokpal Bill Debate on Thursday Dec 22,2011 in the Lok Sabha
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj
objected to the provision for "not less than 50 per cent" reservation for minorities in the proposed Lokpal bill saying it would mean five in nine-member bench which was "patently unconstitutional" as there was no provision for quota on the basis of religion.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad
said, "We in Parliament have to decide about the bill. Don't do anything wrong fearing the agitation. Whatever right is to be done, we will do that. We want a Lokpal Bill but it has to be strong. This is not a strong bill. Wrong to bring ex-parliamentarians under Lokpal."
CPI member Gurudas Dasgupta
expressed unhappiness saying that sovereignty of the Parliament should not be compromised and no one should be able to dictate terms to them. He said, "I appeal to the Congress party and to the government that under no circumstances the sovereignty of parliament should be surrendered. The Lokpal Bill is being sought to be introduced in unusual haste. There is only one father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, let us not allow anybody pretend to be a single crusader against corruption. We fought against corruption."
Shiv Sena opposes Govt draft of Lokpal Bill since Lokpal will be an extra-constitutional body and accountable to none.
Various parties, including BJP, Shiv Sena, RJD, AIMIM and AIADMK, opposed introduction of the bill in the current form and wanted the government to revise it.
Parties like RJD, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM, AIADMK opposed bringing the Prime Minister under the purview of a body which would be "accountable to nobody".
BJP, JD(U), BJD, AIADMK, DMK and CPI(M) objected to a provision in the Lokpal Bill, claiming that it made it "mandatory" for states to set up Lokayuktas and was an "attack" on the federal structure.
Opposing the inclusion of the Prime Minister
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad
said if complaints are lodged against him, he would be questioned at various international fora and it would be insulting for the country."PM is not only the PM, he is the leader of the whole country,"
SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav
said it was unconstitutional to make the PM answerable to Lokpal instead of Parliament.
Asaduddin Owaisi (All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen) said the move to include the Prime Minister under the ambit of the Lokpal would mean undermining the autonomy of the executive.
BJP to move 4 amendments to the Lokpal Bill -
1)It is against the setting up of Lokayuktas in states, saying it violates India's federal structure.
2)Minority Clause to be dropped from the Bill as the party says it's unconstitutional.
3)Lokpal to have supervisory and administrative control over theCBI
4)Oppose Section 24, which allows the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman to act against a Member of Parliament (MP) on the basis of the Lokpal report even before the trial is over.
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