New Lokpal Bill: What is Bothering the Leaders?

new lokpal bill, debate on lokpal bill, parliament debate on lokpal bill, lokayukta in lokpal bill, section 24 new lokpal bill, new lokpal bill bothers politicians, mps prosecution lokpal bill, leaders afraid of lokpal bill Irrespective of Parties, two things are bothering the political leaders in the government introduced new Lokpal Bill. One is the provision for constituting Lokayuktas in states and the other one is the section 24 of the new Lokpal Bill. The section 24 gives the power to presiding officers to act against ministers and MPs on the basis of the Lokpal indicting them for graft. The bill allows presiding officers to act on the basis of a Lokpal report even before a trial is completed.

The Lok Sabha speaker or chairman of Rajya Sabha is required to table the Lokpal report and inform the Lokpal about the action being taken — or not taken — against the members concerned. The procedure has been prescribed in cases where at "the conclusion of investigation, the findings of the Lokpal disclose the commission of an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, by a public servant... (The) Lokpal may file a case in the Special Court and shall send a copy of the report", says section 24 of the Lokpal Bill.

With the bill stating that presiding officers will tell the Lokpal about "action taken or proposed to be taken on the basis of the report", the political class finds itself under increased threat. This provision is sure to attract several amendments with MPs pointing out that the bill does not even state the need for the trial process to be completed. The scheduled debate on Lokpal Bill in the Parliament on 27, 28 and 29 December are expected to hover around these two points, with the politicos trying to do away or minimize these two provisions.