Corruption and the Janlokpal

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Janlokpal to Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011

The genesis of the demand for the Janlokpal Bill lay in the indefinite hunger strike undertaken by Anna Hazare on April 5, 2011. This prompted the government to form joint drafting committee consisting of ministers and civil society members. Despite Team Anna and the drafting committee being on different pages regarding the formulation of the bill, the government version of the Lokpal Bill , 2011 was introduced in Parliament. Additionally, the Lokpal Bill, 2010 was considered a diluted version of the Janlokpal for it provided no whistleblower’s protection, there was no inclusion of the PM, independence of the CBI was not addressed and could not take punitive action in terms of confiscating disproportionate assets etc. This yet again led to a public uproar prompting Anna Hazare to sit on a second round of hunger strike. This led to the introduction of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011 (thereby withdrawing Lokpal Bill, 2011) in December 2011 which was passed by the Lok Sabha and sent to the Rajya Sabha.

Finally, the Bill was finally passed on 18th December,2013 after passing through a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha and has secured the Presidential assent as well making its way to being an Act with the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states.

Naturally, the current discourse on this ombudsman is based on the nomenclature of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 and not as Janlokpal. The Bill is to provide for the establishment of a body of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for States to inquire into allegations of corruption against certain public functionaries and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto .

The negotiations and the consequent changes...

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The Lokpal And Lokayuktas Bill, 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Lok%20Pal%20Bill%202011/Lokpal%20and%20Lokayuktas%20Bill%20as%20passed%20by%20LS.pdf [Accessed: 3 Mar 2014].

Unodc.org. (2011). India: government ratifies two UN conventions related to transnational organized crime and corruption. [online] Retrieved from: https://www.unodc.org/southasia//frontpage/2011/may/indian-govt-ratifies-two-un-conventions.html [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014].

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