Followers

08 April 2011

Salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill

Salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill

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.