On the lines of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, the Arvind Kejriwal Government may bring amendment in the existing Delhi lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act 1995, giving policing powers to lokayukta in the national Capital.
According to sources, the AAP Government may pass the draft proposal in the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. A high-level meeting was held at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence with officials of the Delhi Government to discuss the draft provisions of the lokayukta’s Act.
Insiders said the Government is still deliberating whether it can convert the existing Delhi lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act 1995 into Jan lokayukta Bill 2015 without prior approval of the Centre. The AAP Government is also deliberating whether it could need prior approval or legislation needs approval after tabling it in the Delhi Assembly.
Sources said the name of the Bill, either Janlokpal or Delhi lokayukta, will be known only when the draft goes through the Cabinet. It is largely based on the Uttarakhand lokayukta Bill and Karnataka lokayukta Bill. “But it differs in some regards. The inclusion of the CM’s office in the purview of the proposed law is one major difference,” said sources, adding the Bill would ensure that investigation of corruption charges and prosecution were completed within six months.
It is noted that Kejriwal had tweeted on September 28 announcing that “Jan lokayukta Bill almost ready. We shud be able to present it in next session of assembly”.
The name of the Bill is noteworthy as the AAP had promised to pass a ‘Jan lokpal Bill’ in its manifesto. All public officials, including the Chief Minister other Ministers and MlAs, would fall within its purview, it had said.
“Time bound investigation shall be introduced in corruption cases. Charges of corruption against Ministers, MlAs and Secretaries will be completed in a time frame ranging between six months and a year,” the manifesto read.
As per provision of the existing Delhi lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act, only a Chief Justice or a High Court judge having seven years of experience are eligible for lokayukta’s post. Kejriwal had quit in his first term as Delhi Chief Minister after he failed to table the bill. The AAP, which returned to power by winning 67 of the 70 seats in the Assembly elections, had positioned the Jan lokayukta Bill as one of its key poll promises.
Former Delhi High Court judge, Justice Reva Khetrapal will be the capital’s new lokayukta. The post of the anti-corruption ombudsman has remained vacant since November 2013, when retired Justice Manmohan Sarin relinquished office.
The Opposition BJP and the Congress have often attacked the ruling AAP Government over the delay in the lokayukta’s appointment. Justice Khetrapal has given judgments in a number of high-profile cases, including the December 16 gang-rape case, where she upheld the death penalty of the convicts.