Govt hopes to pass other anti-graft legislations
Along with the controversial Lokpal Bill, the government hopes to pass in Parliament other key anti-corruption bills such as Whistleblowers' Bill and Judicial Accountability and Standards Bill in the next few days.
The Judicial Bill, which aims at cleansing the judicial system, and the Whistleblowers' Bill, which seeks to provide protection to those who make disclosures of corrupt activities, may come up for discussion next week these have already been studied by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
The Whistleblowers'Bill, titled Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill, may be discussed along with the Lokpal Bill. It is likely that two days would be alloted to discuss the bills in Lok Sabha and one day in Rajya Sabha.
According to sources, the winter session may be extended either to meet from December 27 to 29 or January 3 to 5.
As regards the Citizens' Charter Bill, after it was introduced in Parliament onTuesday, it has been sent to the standing committee. Another draft bill which is connected to anti-corruption legislation, the Public Procurement Bill, is in public domain for wider debate.
The Citizens' Charter, which Anna Hazare wanted to be part of the Lokpal Bill, relates to a category of goods and services to be delivered in a time-bound manner and setting up a public grievance redressal panel. As regards the Judicial Bill, under it, the judges will have to declare their assets and liabilities, and also that of their spouse and children.
Under the Whistleblower's Bill, anybody who reveals the identity of whistleblowers would be punished with three years jail or fine up to Rs 50,000.
The Union cabinet, which met on Tuesday to clear Lokpal Bill, decided not to touch Article 311 of the Constitution which relates to dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State.' This means the power to remove an employee will remain with the government and not Lokpal, which was the demand of Team Anna.
