The Delhi cabinet today cleared the final draft of the Jan Lokpal bill. The Chief Minister's office has been included under the ambit of the Lokpal.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government had earlier said that it will try to get the bill passed in the Delhi assembly by 16 February.
Arvind Kejriwal. AFP
Manish Sisodia had earlier told reporters following the cabinet meet that the last day of the session will be held in the Indira Gandhi Stadium and requested Delhi's public to come and witness the bill's passage. The first three days will be a closed session held at the Delhi Assembly.
The bill was one of the key issues in AAP's manifesto and it had promised to pass the bill within 10 days of coming to power.
Soon after the bill is passed by the cabinet, it would be put in the public domain. The draft version of the bill had fixed a maximum tenure of six months for the agency to complete an investigation.
The punishment for corruption is likely to range from six months in jail to life imprisonment. A committee headed by the Chief Secretary and secretaries of Urban Development, Law and Finance departments, besides eminent advocate Rahul Mehra has been given the responsibility of drafting the Jan Lokpal Bill.
However, the proposal to include DDA and Delhi Police is likely to be a bone of contention between the Delhi government and Union home ministry as the latter has the charge of the two departments, reports Zee News.
Highlights of the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill
- The Delhi Lokpal bill differs from Centre's Lokpal in the quantum punishment, composition of the selection panel, the jurisdiction of the ombudsman and the inclusion of the whistle-blower and witness protection and the citizen charter.
- The maximum punishment under Delhi government's Jan Lokpal Bill is life imprisonment and the minimum is six months.
- The Delhi Jan Lokpal will comprise 10 members plus one chairman. The selection panel for the Lokpal will comprise only two politicians
- the chief minister, the leader of opposition. The others in the selection panel will be two sitting high court judges, two eminent persons and a former Lokayukta.
- There will be no caveat on public servants who can be prosecuted. The CM will also come under the Delhi Lokpal. The Lokpal will be able to take suo moto cognisance of cases and will have unfettered powers to probe cases of corruption.
- The anti-corruption bureau will be merged with the Delhi Lokpal and with that the Delhi Police and the Delhi Development Authority will be brought under the ambit of Delhi Jan Lokpal.
- The Delhi Lokpal will also include provisions for whistleblower protection, witness protection and include a citizen's charter.
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