Kejriwal's stature set to grow with Janlokpal Bill's tabling today

 The AAP government’s ambitious Janlokpal Bill is likely to be tabled in the Assembly on Monday, fulfilling Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s pre-poll promise and raising his stature as a performer.

The AAP government is expectedly going to take credit for doing what it promised, regardless of the attacks from the Opposition BJP and expelled AAP leaders who have questioned many provisions of the draft proposal.

The Assembly session has been extended till December 4 specially for debating and passing of the Janlokkpal Bill.

The highlights of the Bill include setting up a three-member Janlokpal to probe corruption involving public servants, declaration of assets by public servants, protection for whistle- blowers, maximum punishment of life imprisonment for the corrupt, six-month trial, special corruption courts and policing rights to the anti-corruption panel and provision to investigate all allegations of corruption taking place in the Capital – something which may bring MPs, central ministers and even corporate honchos under its purview.

Experts say the Bill will never get Presidential assent due to the procedural infirmities in its presentation in the House, mainly that of not seeking Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung approval, and many provisions which clash with the Constitutional arrangement between the Central government and elected government of the Delhi.

 Bypassing Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung’s approval by the AAP government may, however, not result in a replay of the Kejriwal government’s downfall in 2014.

“We are wiser this time round. We would never repeat the mistake of quitting in a hurry,” said a close aide of Kejriwal.

Sources in the Delhi Assembly said Jung has also changed his strategy this time round and opted not to interfere in the unconstitutional acts of the elected government at an initial stage.

“The L-G knows President Pranab Mukherjee is bound by the statute and he will give a quiet burial to illegally presented and passed bills of the AAP government if at all the matter reaches his desk,” said an official.