Anna's Jan Lok Pal Bill May Come up in Winter Session
posted on Aug 20, 2011 @ 1:04PM
India Against Corruption crusader Anna Hazare has been demanding that the government bring the Jan Lokpal Bill (Drafted by his team), or make amendments to its Lokpal Bill to include elements from his team's Bill. Anna is currently continuing with his fast at Ramlila Maidan protesting against the government introduced bill.
Incidentally, Independent Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar submitted a copy of Anna's draft Bill as a Private Member's Bill for tabling on August 8. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha can scrutinise the Bill and send it to President Pratibha Patil for consent. If she gives her nod, it can be taken up in Parliament after a month. The Monsoon session ends on September 8, exactly a month from the day Mr Chandrashekhar submitted the Bill. But Private Members' Bills are taken up for discussion in the Parliament in the second half of every Friday and since September 8 is a Thursday, Anna's bill will miss tabling by a whisker. Hence, a discussion on it would only be possible in the Winter Session.
If the government comes down and introduces Anna's Jan Lok Pal bill also in the ongoing Lok Sabha session, concurrent discussions on two sets of the same bill may not be possible to be concluded by September 8. In that event also, Anna's Jan Lok Pal Bill has to wait till the commencement of winter session of the Parliament.