2. Introduction to Lokpal Bill.
The word Lokpal means an ombudsman in
India.
The word has been derived from the Hindi
words "lok" (people) and "pal"
(protector/caretaker).
The concept of Lokpal has been drawn up to
root out corruption at high places in the
prevailing Indian polity.
The Lokpal is a forum where the citizen can
send a complaints against a public
official, prime minister, other ministers and
3. The Lokpal will be a three-member body with a
chairperson who is or was a chief justice or
Supreme Court judge, and two members who
are or have been high courts judges or chief
justices.
4. Government v/s Anna Hazare
Anna Hazare along with other civil right
activists have termed the draft legislation as weak
and demanded that fifty per cent of the members
in the committee drafting the bill should be from
the public.
Every complainant has to pay a fees and take full
responsibility for leveling charges.
In case the complaint is found to be baseless,
punitive action extending to two years in jail and
monetary fine of up to Rs.50,000 may be imposed
on the complainant.
5. Anna Hazare started a fast, on 5th of April
2011, until death to demand the passing of the
bill
After that government issued a gazette
notification constituting a 10-member Joint
Committee of ministers and civil society
activists, including him, to draft an
effective Jan Lokpal Bill.
6. Jan Lokpal Bill
(Citizen's Ombudsman Bill)
Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action
or receive complaints of corruption from the
general public.
Lokpal will be much more than an Advisory Body.
It should be granted powers to initiate prosecution
against anyone found guilty.
Lokpal will have police powers. To say that it will
be able to register FIRs.
Lokpal and anti corruption wing of CBI will be one
Independent body.
The punishment should be minimum 5 years and
maximum up-to life imprisonment.
7.
8. Attempts to establish Lokpal at the
central level?
The Lokpal Bill has been introduced eight
times in the Lok Sabha
(1968, 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998
and 2001).
Each time the Lok Sabha was dissolved
before the Bill could be passed.
The Lokpal Bill is likely to be passed by 15
August 2011.
9. Provision Under
State Government
So far 18 state governments have enacted
legislation to set up the office of Lokayukta and
Uplokayukta (deputy Lokayukta).
The 18 states are: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
Three-member body, headed by a retired Supreme
Court judge or high court chief justice and
comprise the state vigilance commissioner and a
jurist or an eminent administrator as other
members
