What is LOKPAL BILL?

A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:

1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state
will be set up

2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely
independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to
influence their investigations.

3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore:
Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial
should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer
or judge is sent to jail within two years.

4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered
at the time of conviction.

5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done
in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial
penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the
complainant.

6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter
card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any
other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it
done in a month's time. You could also report any case of corruption to
Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed
or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its
investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty
will go to jail within two years.

7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal
members? That won't be possible because its members will be selected by
judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians,
through a completely transparent and participatory process.

8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of
Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any
officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two
months.

9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental
vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal.
Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate
and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.

10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are
being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.