Lokpal Bill Public Consultation

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL Says:
# A2831LB June 2nd, 2011 at 12:07 am

PRIME MINISTER MUST BE UNDER LOKPAL BILL

It refers to on-going discussion if Prime Minister should be covered by Lokpal Bill or not. In present black-mail era of alliance politics, even notorious ones like Madhu Koda can become Prime Minister. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that Prime Minister must be brought under purview of Lokpal Bill, a view also favoured by present Prime Minister Dr Manmohansingh and his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee. All those in legislature including Parliamentarians and state-legislatures should be under purview of Lokpal even for their acts done during proceedings of Parliament and state-legislatures. Notorious example is acquitting of guilty Parliamentarians of infamous JMM bribery case by Supreme Court because their unholy act to vote for Narsimharao government after being bribed was considered as immunised. Presiding officers of two House of Parliament and concerned Parliamentary committees are extra soft on erring Parliamentarians when Rajesh Kumar Manjhi was very lightly ‘punished’ rather sent on holiday from Parliament for one month for taking his lady-friend on a tour abroad in name of his wife!

However there should be simultaneous working on three other bills also to reduce work-load on institution of Lokpal Bill, namely bills on Electoral Reforms, Judicial Accountability and Grievance Redress. Most of scams relating to political rulers are due to bad electoral laws. Suggestions of Joint Drafting Committee member of Lokpal Bill, Prashant Bhushan on Judicial Accountability Bill can effectively check misconduct and malpractices in higher judiciary. A bill for time-bound Grievance-Redress on lines of RTI Act can do the rest thereby institution of Lokpal being mainly concentrated on major scams and scandals.

Drafting Committee can recommend such a basket of measures to be implemented in a time-bound period say by December 2011. Rather sub-groups of Joint Drafting Committee should be formed for drafting these three more bills.

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL
(Guinness Record Holder & RTI Activist)
1775 Kucha Lattushah
Dariba, Chandni Chowk
DELHI 110006 (India)
Mobile 9810033711 Fax 23254036
E-mail subhashmadhu@sify.com
Web www.subhashmadhu.com

Yogi V Kumar Says:
# A2829LB June 1st, 2011 at 11:13 pm

Hi,

I am Yogi V Kumar from Bangalore. I was watching the CNN-IBN debate today, 1 jun 2011, 10:00pm about jan lokpal. I WAS COMPLETELY SHAKEN TO SEE THAT THE MEDIA IS SECRETLY TRYING TO DERAIL THIS MOVEMENT BY THE WAY OF DISCOURAGING ANYBODY WHO SPEAKS FOR IT. it was horrific to see the journalists speak against this bill. THEY ARE TRULY BIASED TOWARDS THE CORRUPT. THEY DONT WANT THIS BILL TO BE PASSED.

The programme presenter kept asking negative questions to Kiran Bedi, and repeatedly tried to derail the discussion by raising unnecessary quwstions like " are unelected people asking for more power?" What ridiculous question was that? That did not deserve an answer at all.

There was another opinion about the political aspirations of the jan lokpal panel members. That was enough for me to CONCLUDE THAT THE MEDIA IS AGAINST THIS MOVEMENT. I REQUEST THE LOKPAL PANEL TO BE CAREFUL WITH MEDIA, AND NOT BE MISLEAD BY IT.

Media knows how to kill a movement, so they have already started to MANIPULATE THE STATEMENTS OF PANEL MEMBERS.

Please take this seriously since the only way public can learn about this bill is through the MEDIA, and the media is biased, and not doing its duty.

I REQUEST A PROVISION BE MADE TO INCLUDE INCOMPLETE, FALSE AND BIASED REPORTING BY THE MEDIA AS AN OFFENCE TO PEOPLE, AND MADE PUNISHABLE. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF MIS-INFORMATION AND CORRUPTION.

Arvind Bhatia Says:
# A2821LB June 1st, 2011 at 6:08 pm

There should also be a provision that the Government will not bring any ordinance / stay order to stall, prohibit or restrain the action initiated/order made under the Jan Lokpal Bill nor bring any ordinance / stay order to stall, prohibit or restrain any provision of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Any complaint of wrong or vindictive action by any officer/s may be investigated under the relevant provisions of the bill as per IPC.

Also, the Jan Lokpal Bill has to be followed in full spirit by Central Govt and all State Governments and its implementation will not be affected or impacted by any state or central legislation / ordinance.

Ravindra Saksena Says:
# A2820LB June 1st, 2011 at 5:42 pm

The core issue are two - corruption at top ( Judges of Supreme /High Court , Chief Ministers and Ministers misusing their powers) and corruption at the local governance level encountered by the common man mostly in the States and local bodies .
In my view this needs also two parallel setups - Local anti corruption agency at the State and Local Body ( Panchayat and Miniciplaties) to investigate and close cases within one year - Pradesh Lokpal
and a Jan Lokpal at the Centre for corruption at the top levels ( JS to Chief Minister including Judges )
The Jan Lokapal setup should be a three man commission both at the Centre like the Election Commission with complete paraphernalia and competencies and skills to investigate and conclude the complaints received by it .
The Pradesh Lokpal should also be a similar body but at the State level .

The complaints against the Chief Justice of India must be investigated confidentially by the Jan Lokpal Commission but prosecution launched only with the consent of the Prime Minister Of India .
The complaints against the Prime Minister of India should be investigated by the Jan Lokpal Commission but prosecution launched only after the consent of President Of India ,
This in my considered opinion will ensure the necessary safeguards we need to protect the independence of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice .
Members to the Jan Lokpal Commission should be appointed by PM / CJI / Opposition Leader
Members to the Pradesh Lokpal Commission should be appointed by CM/ CJ of HC / Opposition Leader

Harsha S Shetty Says:
# A2819LB June 1st, 2011 at 5:31 pm

I was going thru the draft bill and have a question on the appointment of the members “Selection Committee that comprises of the Prime Minister, Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, two youngest judges of Supreme Court (SC), two youngest Chief Justices of High Courts, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the immediately outgoing members of Lokpal”.

I think again we are following same route of political motivated selection. As selection team consists highly influential politicians; like PM, Opposition leader, if you look at the history. When we have two most influential and strong Politicians of the country in the selection panel, its insecurity and discomfort for other panel members to take any decision against them. Or they can easily influence other panel members in their favor by bribing them. Hence draft bill doesn’t look 100% India against corruption. Would request all the civil society members take their opinion once again and do not keep any room for corrupted politician to take advantage of such clauses in the Bill.

If you recall recent incident of appointment of CVC.

Abhay Narendra Metkar Says:
# A2812LB June 1st, 2011 at 2:12 pm

महोदय,

हमें ऐसा लगता है की सबसे भ्रष्ट ये सब मंत्री होते है| ये सभी मंत्री अपने विभाग के आला अफसरों को चंदा इकठा करनेका निर्देश देते है|

मुजे लगता है की ...............

१) अगर किसी अफसरने चंदा इकठ्ठा करनेका इल्जाम किसी मंत्री या उपरवाले अफसरके ऊपर लगता है और ये साबित कर देता है तो उस मंत्री और आला अफसर को मृत्यु दंड देनेका प्रावधान हो और वो सिर्फ ६ महीने के अन्दर न्याईक फैसला होना चाहिए| फैसले को अपील या दया याचिका नहीं होनी चाहिए|

२) किसीभी अफसर अगर रिश्वत लेते रंगे हात पकड़ा जाता है तो उसकी और उसके परिवार या रिश्वत लेने वाले ने अलग अलग नामो से जमा की पूरी संपत्ति राष्ट्रीय संपत्ति घोषित करे|

३) किसीभी कार्यालय में अगर एजेंट की तरफसे काम होता है तो.....
३.१ कार्यालय प्रबंधक ने ये प्रथा तुरंत बंद करनी चाहिए और प्रथा बंद होनेका एक Affidavit अपने अपने मंत्रालय को देना चाहिए|

३.२ ६-महीने बाद किसी व्यक्ति ने शिकायत की तो उपर लिखा para १ लागु हो|

४) हमें ऐसा दिखाई दिया है की ध्वजा निधि ज्यो तहसील कार्यालय में ली जाती है उसकी रसीद फर्जी होती है| उदहारण
४.१ रसीद को सिरिअल नंबर न होना|
४.२ रसीद कोनसी कार्यालय और स्वीकार करने वाले का पदनाम से दी जारही है उसका उल्लेख ना होना|
उपाय :- ध्वज निधि Online Receipt हो|

५) सरकार और उसके सम्बंधित सर्व कार्यालय के सभी Inwarded document online digitalize (Scan Image) के स्वरुप होनी चाहिए| उसका नियंत्रण / व्यस्थापन NIC करे.
उदहारण :- आदर्ष घोटाला जैसे हरामखोरो को लगाम लगे|

Abhay N. Metkar.
Jalgaon(MS)
09373717315

Dr Rakesh Parikh Says:
# A2811LB June 1st, 2011 at 2:05 pm

1) PM must be answerable to Lakpal. Even if Lokpal is not authorized to prosecute PM, lokpal should at least have the authority to investigate any corruption allegations or suo moto investigation against PM that lokpal should disclose in public domain with transperency.
2) Anonymous complaints against corrupt people with evidence should be welcome on website of Lokpal and lokpal might decide whether to investigate the case or not.
3) Lokpal must be authorised to at least investigate corruption in higher judiciary though rights to prosecute might rest with supreme court of India.
4) Trivial complaints received at lokpal office might be forwarded by lokpal to the appropriate agency. Having Lokpal in the loop would make them more answerable.

Dushmant Das Says:
# A2810LB June 1st, 2011 at 1:43 pm

PMO,Judiciary,People’sGrievances must be covered under Lokpal. Otherwise it will be another bill that has no meaning and useless. People in Power have been thinking that they are not responsible for any wrongdoing , eventhough our constitution says they are answerable to public.

A.K.Jaiswal Says:
# A2808LB June 1st, 2011 at 1:21 pm

If at all exemption is to be made, only president, vice president, lok sabha speaker should be exempted from lokpal. CBI CVC and cag etc should be brought under lokpal.Increasing salary and perks of ligislators without scruitiny and public debate and passing without debate is another form of corruption and loot of these politicians . Hence issue of revisinfg salary and perk of MP's should should be entrusted to PROPOSED LOK PAL.MP local area fund should be scrapped since government has given another instrument of corruption.

Dr. G L Kaul Says:
# A2805LB June 1st, 2011 at 11:40 am

In a panel of this stature some amount of flexibility will need to be exercised by the civil society members to appreciate the views of the other side, and arrive at a consensus. It is a normal practice in such kind of negotiations. There has to be some give and take to reach the final goal. Of course we need not agree to any such change which would strike at the root of the basic structure and philosophy. The panel had started very positively, but may now get bogged down, and allow the efforts put in get wasted. If the Govt refers the draft to the states, the whole concept will get drowned in contradictions, oppositions, and attempts at escapism.
I feel that the Lokpal bill should not cover the PM, Speakers and their equivalents, Judges of Supreme Court and High Court. We should not undermine their authority, which are the pillars of our democracy. Let us not make them feel subordinate to some other authority. Once Lokayukt starts operating in a vigorous manner, a strong message will spread round, and those who are supposed to deal with corruption charges in their respective spheres will fall in line to act fast. Similarly, conduct of MPs and MLAs inside the house/ assembly should be left to the respective Speakers.
Further, let the Lokayukts not work as 'Grievence Commission' and accept all kinds of complaints to look into. It should strictly confine itself to examine the complaints which have charge of bribery attached . Otherwise, their offices all over the country will get flooded with all sorts of complaints, both frivilous and serious, and end up with a long list of pending cases, as has happened with the CIC. I urge our esteemed members not to allow such a golden oppurtunity to be taken away from the civil society. Let mutually agreed draft come out and get passed. Changes thereafter can be made as and when need arises, as has been done with our Constutution.