The uncertainty over the timetable for the passage of the Lokpal Bill ended on Wednesday with a decision by the government to introduce it in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and take it up for discussion and consideration on December 27, immediately after a short Christmas break.
It is learnt that three Bills — the Lokpal Bill, a separate law to give the new body a constitutional status and the proposed Bill to protect whistle-blowers — will be introduced simultaneously.
The government proposed that the first two be taken up for discussion together, although this suggestion met with resistance from the Left and some other parties at a meeting of the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee on Wednesday evening.
The timetable for consideration and passage of this important piece of legislation was finalised after Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee got the green signal from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L.K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, whom he met in his chamber.
“We had no objection to the Bill being taken up on December 27, or even on December 22 as proposed earlier,” Ms. Swaraj told journalists. “The government told us that since the President had been away and could put her signature on the Bill only today [on Wednesday], the Bill could not be printed for circulation to MPs yesterday [on Tuesday]. This will be done tonight [on Wednesday] so that it can be introduced on Thursday and taken up on December 27 after a short break. We had no objection.”
Since all MPs require sufficient time to read the Bill before it is taken up for discussion and passage, it has become impossible for the government to push the Bill through by December 23. The BJP has reserved its considered reaction to the Bill till after it reads the “fine print.”
The government can push the Lokpal Bill through by a simple majority — whips have been issued; some parties said they would do this on Thursday asking their MPs to be present to vote on all three days from December 27 to 29.
But for giving the new authority a constitutional status — first proposed by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi during the monsoon session debate on the issue — it will need substantial Opposition support. A constitutional amendment, which this would be, can be carried only if at least 50 per cent of all members are present and two-thirds vote in its favour. It is not yet clear whether the Bill giving the Lokpal constitutional status will be put to vote at all on December 27, for technically that can be done later, even months or years later as the BJP would prefer.
Hats off to team Anna for taking up the issue of corruption. The initiative that he has taken needs to be kept alive and pursued with force by one and all since corruption in our country affects most of us. A lot can be achieved if the middle class of our country which is a very strong segment of our society puts all its might behind this cause and takes a vow to vote whenever they have to.
The politicians who claim to have been elected to the parliament by the voters are well aware that those who elect them are mainly poor and illiterate supported by their muscle and money power. This could change if the middle class wakes up and realises its responsibility to vote in full force for deserving candidates.
Majority of the political class would like to avoid a strong lokpal. The policy seems to be to somehow get a bill of their choice passed and defame team Anna for coming in their way and dictating terms to Parliament.
Even though the introduction of Lokpal Bill is fast approaching, it is seems to me that its first impression will be the last impression. Most of the high official authorities of the Federal government remain tight lipped about the know-how of this particular on going discussion. First of all, we have to remind that the corruption problems will not be able to tackle all on a sudden amongst the business conglomerates and the leaders if any. Because most of our nation's daily life is wholly contaminated by the influence of corruption from the village level to the top. It is impossible to eradicate this phenomena without gradual steps. The common folk including the low class and middle class is widely suffering due to the corruption. Anna Hazare is acting under the auspices of the Right Wing Political Leaders and their sympathizers those who would like to bring this matter in the forthcoming elections. Whatsoever it may be, the public will have to suffer.
Without the independence to investigate and prosecute, Jan Lokpal would effectively lack the teeth it needs to fight the corruption that holds India hostage today . It would be just a JAN-JOKPAL !! As per the bill being presented now , the Lokpal committee would be powerless to initiate any investigations on their own, and instead only be allowed to handle cases that are first approved by the Central Bureau of Investigation - a government agency with a notorious reputation for inaction. This way, even if an MP was suspected of corruption, the CBI could easily stop the Lokpal from investigating, let alone prosecuting him! .The very purpose of the JAN LOKPAL BILL is being defeated . All citizens of India and the MEDIA must join together and say in one voice -This is outrageous !!
No one, who questions the supremacy of the Parliament, should be allowed to do so and Anna Hazare and his team cannot be an exception. But my worry is whether the Parliament will discuss Lok Pal bill with the seriousness it deserves or whether there would be just attempts to demonstrate loyalty to the ‘leaders’ or attempts to show how one’s party is party with a difference. There is even a possibility of inordinate delay in passing the bill. Secondly, if the Hazare team’s demands about the Lok Pal bill are irrational, so are the attempts to show that the agitation for an effective anti-corruption law is anti democracy or that it undermines the Parliament. However, my greatest fear is that neither the press nor the Parliament will represent the voice of sane but silent voice of a majority of concerned citizens.
Anna Hazare deserves Nobel price to start a movement to end corruption in India. This Congress regime has been in power, the 2G Scam and the Commonwealth games corruption are unforgivable. Indian people deserves a better governance. No one should be above the Law including the CBI and this Congress regime trying to bring exceptions and loopholes for them to escape from accountability and responsibility.
Going by the actions and statements of the political class so far, it seems obvious that they would concede two out of three but not all three: 1) An independent Lokpal (i.e. won't be under the administrative thumb of the politicians) 2) A Lokpal with the necessary jurisdiction (i.e. the authority to check the corruption of the major culprits) 3) An enabled Lokpal (i.e. with the necessary investigative & prosecutorial powers) It's also obvious that without all three ingredients, Lokpal won't be effective. In other words, this bill being introduced in the parliament is useless. And, Team Anna is absolutely right to protest against it. And, this is the mother of all battles between the people and the rulers. If the people lose this, there won't be much hope for progress on the corruption front for the foreseeable future.
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