Dizzy Lokpal Bill cleared by the Cabinet:complete Report

Cabinet on Thursday( 31,Jan 2013) cleared the amended version of Lokpal Bill suggested by the standing committee of Rajya Sabha. Out of 16 amendments suggested by the standing committee 14 were accepted(click here to see the suggested amendments).
However as usual the bill is still in critically weak state. Major points that were demanded by the public to strengthen the bill are still missing.

WEAKNESSES of the cleared lokpal amendment

• Most stupid point the bill cleared by the cabinet is that political parties are out of the jurisdiction of the anti-corruption institute. |i.e even if such a bill passed then the lokpal will not be able to investigate the corruption in the political parties of the nation!Then what the hell will the lokpal be investigating?|
• The demand for the appointment of the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) chief by a group comprising the PM, leader of opposition and the Chief Justice of India in order to prevent the government control on CBI was also rejected by the the cabinet. | i.e CBI will still be under the control of government as appointment of the chief will  not be made by the independent group|
• The amended draft also leaves the implementation of Lokayukta bill(state version of lokpal)) and appointment of Lokayuktas to the states.|This decision of making lokayukta a state defined creation is wrong as it will make Lokayukta different in every state leading to difficult usage of bill in multi-state corruption cases.Moreover state governments may also use their own scissors on the bill to hide their level of corruption Click HERE for complete point-wise analysis on this  |
• Public servant facing an inquiry by the Lokpal will be given an opportunity to be heard at the stage of the preliminary inquiry.
• Lokpal  will have a prosecution wing of its own but will not have a say in the transfer of officials investigating a case taken up by it. |Another epic non-sense|
• The CBI will report to the lokpal with regard to cases under lokpal scrutiny and the body will be able to ask any relevant agency to take up an investigation. |However CBI is still under the potential control of government. So this step can't undo that flaw|

Arvind Kejriwal had demanded, "Why does the government not fulfill one single demand and make the CBI independent. There is no point making committees after committees."

 Anna Hazare had also demanded that the CVC and CBI be brought under the Lokpal. "I have written a letter to Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister asking whether CBI and CVC will be under the Lokpal. If they're not, how will we check corruption," questioned Anna. 

Source:http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/cbi-under-lokpal-supervision-as-cabinet-clears-bill_816333.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cabinet-clears-Lokpal-Bill-with-amendments-keeps-parties-out-of-its-ambit/articleshow/18280578.cms
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/editorial/it-makes-no-sense-to-exempt-political-parties-from-lokpals-ambit/articleshow/18282642.cms

Lokpal to be tabled in parliament in budget seasion

 Discussions on lokpal bill are likey to occur in parliament (Rajay Sabha) on Tuesday (13 Mar, 2012)
Bjp is demanding for this discussion . However, Government plans to take up DISCUSSION in the second part of the Budget Session beginning April 24.So there is a contradiction of schedule between BJp and Congress on this matter.Discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to Parliament is on the agenda for tomorrow. 

Opposite stands

•  Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said that the priority for the government was to get the Vote on Account passed by March 30 and Bills like the Lokpal Bill will be taken up in the second part.

• Close on the heels of Bansal's statement, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said he would move a motion for suspension of Question Hour in the Upper House tomorrow for discussion on Lokpal Bill.
• Soon after the BJP's threat to take up the Lokpal issue, Congress President Sonia Gandhi held consultations with her senior colleagues.

• The minister said that nearly 200 amendments to Bill moved in the Upper House in the previous session had lapsed after it was prorogued and members have started giving amendments afresh.
  

 
As many as 39 Bills including the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, Whitleblowers Protection Bill, the Educational Tribunals Bill, The Copyright (Amendment) Bill, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill are listed by the government for consideration and passing during the Budget Session.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_lokpal-bill-confrontation-likely-in-parliament-on-tuesday_1661529
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2987982.ece?homepage=true

Answer to your questions

 FIVE BIG QUESTIONS affecting this movement.


Q.1 Is Anna an agent of rss?
Ans.  -Anna said Advani's Rath Yatara is a 'Nautanki'
         -Anna Said If congress is graduate then Bjp is post Graduate in terms of corruption
         -Anna said that even Bjp has misused CBI.
         -Anna had conducted anti corruption movements even against BJP!
         -Anna Conducted survey's and campaigns in even BJP's Constituencies and said not to vote BJP if it   doesn't support lokpal.Then how the hell he is an agent of rss

Q2.What is Anna's relation with  Nanaji Deshmuk?
Ans. Recently  Digvijay declared that Anna is an rss member by showing his photo with  Nanaji Deshmuk
The Photo of Anna with Nanaji is presented by a local newspaper and not some big news source so it cannot be believed blindly. Moreover even if we believe the report of news paper then we will realize  Anna was with Deshmuk in order to gain experience about rural development from Deshmukh(who was Padmavibhushan winner and had an infinite experience in this field )

Q3 Why Anna rejects all the bills by government?
Ans. All the lokpals by government are rejected not only by team Anna but also by many other democrats and activist(even those who are against Anna) including Aruna Roy saying that Government lokpals are more impractical.

Q4 Why Anna  dictates parliament ?
Ans. Lokpal is rusting in the drawers of parliament from the last 4 decades and no party passed the bill.
Moreover Parliament is full of corrupt MP's which will get destroyed if lokpal is passed (presence of such MP's is indicated by Cash for vote as an example)   hence parliment and government is not presenting a healthy or even good lokpal.There are many MP's and incidents which erased our faith towards parliment.  After all this Image of parliment and government is not made by Team Anna , its a self made image! 

Q5.Can Anna be believed?
Ans. Anna Hazera is not a new activist that we must not believe him
He is believed by country for decades for his many other acts

•  Anti-corruption protests in Maharashtra (against Bjp and shiv sena)
•  Right to Information movement
•  Removal of untouchability
• Education
• Regulation of Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act

 A Report by AwareMe

UPDATE {21/12(1p)}

The winter session of Parliament, which was scheduled to end on December 22, has been extended by three days from December 27 to discuss Lokpal Bill and other legislations. 

Anna has threatened to go on hunger strike from December 27 if Parliament fails to pass a strong Lokpal Bill, but there is no unanimity among the different parties on the proposed Bill.the UPA has decided to withdraw the old draft and introduce a new one in Parliament even though several smaller parties have accused the Government of trying to rush though the proposed anti-corruption legislation. 

Even as UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed Congress MPs and assured them that the government bend further to please Team Anna and the Opposition, the UPA withdrew the old bill and decided to introduce a new draft. The BJP has given its nod to this proposal.

She told her party colleagues that the Government won't go down without a fight on the Lokpal Bill and will ensure that it doesn't meet the same fate as the Women's Reservation Bill.

She also reiterated that the Government and the party were united on the issue and hit out at the Opposition in general and the BJP in particular for trying to derail the Lokpal Bill.

"The Lokpal Bill has been cleared by the Cabinet. The Opposition will have lots of things to say. They should accept suggestions of Government. Team Anna should also accept it. The Opposition cannot reconcile to the fact that they lost (the 2009 Lok Sabha elections). The party and Government support each other, there is no rift between the party and Government," said Sonia.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury have questioned the UPA Government's intention while making it clear that Parliament will not rush through the anti-corruption legislation in a hurry to please Hazare and his associates.
Mayawati-led Bhaujan Samaj Party is also against rushing through the Bill while the Shiv Sena has opposed the concept of a Lokpal completely. The BJP and Biju Janata Dal have also opposed the Government version, but want an early passage of the Bill.

The BJP is yet to reveal its strategy but it has said that the party is ready for a discussion on the Bill any day. It is likely to raise objections on the procedure of the appointment of the Lokpal panel.
However, Keeping up the heat, Team Anna on Wednesday attacked the government for keeping CBI out of Lokpal's ambit, saying it 'totally destroys' the anti-corruption mechanism in the country by not giving an investigating arm to the ombudsman.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the new bill will do "more harm than doing good" to the existing anti-graft machinery. Bedi said onTwitter, "The bill is not path breaking but breaking the path. Thank you Sonia G."

Source:http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lokpal-endgame-near-despite-anna-protest/213961-37-64.html

Anna's letter to PM

On Saturday (december 17) Anna wrote a letter to PM . Key issues of letter were about controversial things like CBI , citizen Charter,inclusion of lower bureaucracy etc.

Following are main allegations that Anna put on 7th para of four page letter 

• Demanding bringing CBI'a anti-corruption wing under Lokpal and make it its investigative agency, he said it appeared that no government weather it is bjp or congress wants to give away the control over CBI for political reasons. "Does it mean that Lokpal will not have an investigative agency. Without an investigative agency what will it do? Then it is better that we don't need a Lokpal," he said alleging irrespective of Congress or BJP, CBI was misused. Anna said.
• He  questioned on selection process for lokpal suggested by standing committee saying that  politicians play a major role in search and selection committee for Lokpal recruits. He said that there is no description of formation of search committee and that of conduction of selection process 
• Anna asked why PM why he changed his stand on Citizens' Charter despite giving a written assurance that it will be part of the Lokpal bill. "I was surprised when on 13 December Standing Committee decided to make  a new citizen charter isolated form lokpal. But You(PM)  earlier had said me that as per the parliament's  prescription chitizen charter should be indulged in lokpal then why you sent it again to standing committee?"
• He said that we waited till winter season and suspended all our agitations but now reports are saying  that the Winter Session will end on December 23.
  "We suspended all our agitations till Winter Session taking your word on face value. Reports published in media now says that the Winter Session will end on December 23. Will the Lokpal Bill be passed by then. We have doubts on this," he said.

Anna ji[1]

Source:http://www.scribd.com/doc/75919823/Anna-ji-1 (LETTER)
http://www.timesnow.tv/Anna-writes-to-PM-Congress-upset/articleshow/4391641.cms

COPY PROTECTED(contact editor to use the article) 

Lokpal row: Anna warns govt with fast, jail bharo

 SEE why team anna is unhappy with standing committee's report

• Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said they will go on the fast from December 27 if the government does not pass the Lokpal Bill in this session of the parliament.
• Hazare also said that from the first day of new year (Jan 1, 2012), supporters of Jan Lokpal Bill will start bharo aandolan all over the country. 

•  He said that the activists will sit outside the house of the MPs of the parties which have opposed the anti-graft bill and force the govt to arrest them and put in jail.

• In case the bill is passed by the the Hazare plans to present important people in the govt with a rose. Hazare said that rose is meant to show the people in the govt how the the flower stays among thorns and still gives happiness to the people.

Earlier today, the govt acknowledged that consensus eluded the all-party meeting on Lokpal issue. However, parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government was confident that it would be able to table the proposed bill in the winter session itself.

"I believe that it would be possible. Yesterday (Wednesday), there was an all-party meeting where 35 different parties participated. All had different views on the issue. To say there was broad consensus on the issue would be wrong. This has increased the work load of the government," Bansal said.
"How to compile these 35 different views and then also bringing in government views and to make amendments in the proposed bill," Bansal said, referring to the task at government's hand.
However, "We are working hard on it and I am confident we will be present it in this session," he said.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lokpal-row-Anna-warns-govt-with-fast-jail-bharo/Article1-782778.aspx

All-party meet on lokpal (December 14)

(Updated Coverage)

The all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the lokpal bill to attempt a consensus on the issue began on Wednesday(December 14).Leaders from different political parties met for almost three hours at the Prime Minister's residence.

• Opposition parties said The government has not given any assurance about bringing the bill in this session . However PM has assured that
  "  Government is keen that this lokpal should be passed  as far as possible on the basis of consensus among all parties that is driven by Parliament as the custodian of legislation."
   
• A majority of the parties agreed that the Prime Minister should be included, with safeguards, within the ambit of the Lokpal 
• Most parties also wanted the lower bureaucracy included;
  only the the Communist Party of India (CPI) held out on that.
  
• There was no  consensus on how much control the Lokpal should have over the CBI 
•  Most parties agreed that the Lokpal should have its own investigation wing, they were not in agreement on whether that should mean bringing the CBI under the Lokpal.
  The Left said the CBI must be "depoliticised' or should be away from the control of politicians or independent

The CBI's director, AP Singh, met with the Prime Minister earlier today(Wednesday,December 14) He reportedly said that

• The agency is willing to accept the Lokpal as its new boss, but the ombudsman must then be the only body with supervisory powers over the CBI. The CBI also wants all administrative, financial and legal powers to be vested in the agency's chief.
• What the CBI does not want is a bifurcation or branched division of the agency, which has been suggested by some parties, who believe that sections of it can be placed under the Lokpal, while others remain autonomous.
  

MORE 

Team Anna in reply said that it supports the CBI stand on need for autonomy in investigative powers, but has asked for the director to be appointed independentlyMain Opposition party, the BJP, aslo has the same opinion.They both want that director of the CBI and other senior officers to be appointed by an independent panel, not the government. And it wants total investigative freedom for the agency.

A parliamentary committee that studied the Lokpal Bill and submitted its report last week suggested that the Lokpal must conduct a preliminary inquiry into an allegation of corruption and then assign it to the CBI.  The committee also wants the Lokpal to sign off on the CBI's closure reports that signal the findings of its investigation. The CBI disagrees with both, arguing that these processes will weaken its ability to conduct efficient investigations.  For example, a preliminary inquiry, it says,  may alert the official under suspicion to likely action by the CBI, giving him or her enough notice to destroy or conceal evidence.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/All-party-meet-on-lokpal-begins-CBI-remains-a-sticky-issue/Article1-782406.aspx

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_want-lokpal-to-be-passed-on-basis-of-all-party-consensus-pm_1625850
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/govt-keen-to-pass-lokpal-bill-in-current-session-says-pm-at-all-party-meet-157956http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/All-party-meet-on-lokpal-begins-CBI-remains-a-sticky-issue/Article1-782406.aspxhttp://ibnlive.in.com/news/lokpal-allparty-meet-over-deadlock-remains/211956-37-64.htmlhttp://www.ndtv.com/article/india/lokpal-all-party-meet-ends-no-consensus-on-inclusion-of-cbi-157991

Team Anna Core Committee meeting

Team Anna's Core Committee  met on Wednesday (December 14)to chalk out future plans, including the proposed Ramlila Maidan agitation, if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

• Team Anna's core committee on Today's meet(Wednesday) decided that  Anna Hazare may shift his proposed fast later this month on Lokpal Bill from Delhi to Mumbai to avoid harsh winter conditions that could prevail in the capital. 
• The core committee also decided that its members will be in Parliament's Visitors' Gallery on the day when Lokpal bill will be introduced in the House, he told reporters. 

Core committee meeting will continue for two days from Wednesday.

Team Anna sources said the Core Committee will also discuss how to go ahead with their campaign in the five poll-bound state if the situation warrants. "There will be preliminary discussions on all these issues," a Team Anna member said.

Sources said the Core Committee will decide on the mode of Ramlila agitation like whether Hazare should sit on a fast or not and how to mobilise support for the protest, which will be held in chilly winter days.

There are also concerns about Hazare's health and all these factors will be considered while deciding on the protest mode, sources said.

Hazare has stepped up attack on the government on the issue bringing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the direct line of fire, saying the former "does not take any decision" and the latter was "watering down" proposals.

Congress has been insisting that Hazare should wait till Parliament passes the bill before going on a protest.

 Sources : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/team-anna-core-committee-meeting-today/211688-37-64.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-Hazare-may-shift-fast-venue-from-Delhi-to-Mumbai-to-avoid-harsh-winter/articleshow/11108644.cms

Anna and team ready for another agitation

 A third confrontation between Team Anna and the government in eight months seems to be brewing with the activist group hitting the road to drum up protests against the draft report of the parliamentary standing committee on Lokpal bill that ignores some of its key demands. 

Anna Hazare on Tuesday said the government had betrayed the people once again and his day-long fast at Jantar Mantar on December 11 against the report, which is expected to be the basis of the government's bill, can be a precursor to a more prolonged protest at Ramlila Maidan. 

Team Anna is upset with lokpal draft by standing committee due to following reasons

• They are unhappy because Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the lower bureaucracy was kept out of lokpal's ambit. "The draft, as I am being told, provides for the CBI to be kept under government control. If the CBI is under government control, then the Lokpal will remain an empty tin box," Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters 
• For not including the lower bureaucracy in the ambit of the Lokpal. 
  Khegrival said that most corruption around common man is done by lower bureaucracy so how such corruption can be dealt without bringing lower bureaucracy under lokpal.
   Arvind Kejriwal also said the draft violated the "sense of the House" resolution adopted by Parliament and the assurance given to Hazare when he ended his fast on August 28. "When Anna ended his fast, Parliament agreed to a resolution that stated clearly on lower bureaucracy and citizens' charter. We just hope that resolution is respected," Kejriwal said. 
• Khegrival  insisted that if small NGOs are brought under lokpal then  all government funded NGOs should also be brought under the Lokpal as massive corruption was prevalent in NGOs. 
• Team Anna also did not agree to the draft report's recommendation on citizens' charter, which has been one of the main demands of Team Anna's Lokpal movement.  "Having only five members in the state capital to look into the complaints of an entire state instead of officials at each block level, as demanded by us, will lead to the system collapsing in four days,"Khegrival said. 

Addressing a news conference at Ralegan Siddhi, Hazare said the government has cheated the people by making a weak draft. "I will wait till December 22 to see if the government makes amends. Else, I will start an indefinite agitation from December 27 till we get an effective Lokpal. I will also tour the five states which are going to polls and educate the people there," he said.Hazare urged people to express their support to him by fasting for a day on December 11 and taking to the streets. "However, the agitation must be peaceful. There should be no violence," he said.
Hazare alleged that the government was trying to break the Lokpal bill into four or five components. "I will even accept that, provided the government appoints joint committees of experts and government representatives to prepare strong drafts of each bill. We will even accept exclusion of the judiciary from the ambit of Lokpal if the government bill is strong and effective," the Anna said
Hazare said that only those NGOs which take funds from the government should be brought under Lokpal. "I would not mind even if the media is brought in the ambit of Lokpal. If you are pointing fingers at others, why are you keeping yourselves out?" he said. . 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Anna-and-team-readying-for-another-face-off-with-govt/articleshow/10926196.cms
:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Team-Anna-unhappy-over-final-Lokpal-bill-draft/articleshow/10916738.cms
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/draft-report-on-lokpal-a-betrayal-says-anna-hazare/articleshow/10920485.cms

http://janlokpalbillcenter.blogspot.com/2011/11/upset-on-draft-by-standing.html

Two more BJP states mull Lokpal akin to Anna version

After Uttarakhand, two BJP-led states, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, are closely examining the Jan Lokpal bill. Both states have a Lokayukta in place, but have shown interest in amending the existing legislation to bring it closer to the bill drafted by Team Anna. 

Chhattisgarh has put in place a committee under the chief secretary to examine the Jan Lokpal billand the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act. Sources said Chhattisgarh was looking at restructuring its existing Lokayukta Act to bring in an independent investigation wing under the ambit of the law, besides other changes. 

However, the Chhattisgarh government is likely to wait till the Centre passes the Lokpal bill and examine its provisions. The state assembly session is scheduled to start in December and unlike Uttarakhand there are no elections coming up in the state, and hence there is no immediate political compulsion to expedite the process. Sources said the state may wait a while before restructuring its legislation to fit the Jan Lokpal's provisions. ``We want it to be in tandem with the Centre's act,'' a source said. 

The activists have been in talks with several states after the early success with Uttarakhand that has adopted the Jan Lokpal bill in toto. The team, however, ran in to rough weather with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as Team Anna members criticized the state Lokayukta draft as ``weak''. Kumar hit back, saying he did not need a certificate of approval from anyone except the public. 


Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Two-more-BJP-states-mull-Lokpal-akin-to-Anna-version/articleshow/10886725.cms

Standing committee's decisions on PM's and CBI inclusion

The standing committee in a meeting on 16 november recommend that the CBI's anti-corruption wing be given more autonomy and be placed under the Lokpal's supervision.(However there is a provision of collective participation of lokpal and CBI instead of complete control by Lokpal)

•  Lokpal will conduct preliminary investigation into a corruption complaint and refer it to CBI for investigation.
• CBI would investigate the same and then forward the case to the directorate of public prosecution to be created under the supervision of Lokpal. 
• Any suggestion by the Lokpal for prosecution should be accepted. A rejection, if any, should come either from the secretary of the department(lokpal) concerned or a higher authority.
• The committee outlined a structure that harmonises or coordinates the roles of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal.

While some members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice felt that the Prime Minister should be brought under the Lokpal, others were of the view that this should be avoided.The Parliamentary panel on Lokpal bill, is divided on the inclusion of prime minister under the ambit of the anti-corruption watchdog.

The committee got at least four suggestions on the matter of the PM's inclusion.

• There were demands for completely excluding the PM and his office, particularly from Congress members. Team Anna had told the panel it was for complete inclusion of the PM and PMO.
•  Certain members said the PM's post could be brought under the Lokpal's ambit after the completion of his/her tenure.
• Another argument was that since the PM was in charge of departments such as personnel, public grievances & pensions, planning, atomic energy and space, all these will be out of the Lokpal's purview if the PM was excluded. They argued that only the departments that deal with national security can be excluded. Sources said all suggestions would find a place in the report.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lokpal-to-get-part-control-of-CBI/Article1-769721.aspx

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-11-16/news/30405853_1_civil-society-activists-lokpal-team-anna

Judiciary out, Grp A-B staff included in Lokpal

As the Parliamentary standing committee examining the Lokpal Bill began finalising its report to be submitted in the Parliament, reports have said that 

• the panel has decided to keep the judiciary out of the anti-corruption ombudsman’s purview. 
• the panel has favoured the inclusion of Central government’s Group B staff as well in the Lokpal’s ambit, as against the original proposal of including just the 85,000-odd Group A staff. Group B services roughly included 1.7 lakh staff. 
•  the Committee is believed to have decided that the Lokpal Bill would also provide for Lokayuktas in states, as demanded by the Anna Hazare-led civil society group. 
• While the  Lokpal Bill seeks to have provision of imprisonment of not less than two years for persons filing false or frivolous complaints, it also seeks to impose a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh against such persons. But committee members were understood to have supported imprisonment of up to six months and a penalty of up to Rs 1 lakhon the lines of the contempt of court proceedings. 
• The same committee had recommendedreducing the punishment for the Whistleblowers Bill and the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill onfrivolous and false complaints. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the development Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has expressed concern over keeping the judiciary out of Lokpal's ambit. 
He, however, welcomed the reported decision to bring Group B government staff under Lokpal's ambit. Group C and D staff should also be brought under Lokpal's purview as they are the ones with whom the common man deals on a daily basis, he demanded.

Editor's View: Keeping Judiciary out of Lokpal's is and bringing Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill  not a bad decision as it is important for Judiciary System to be not under any institute and to be independent, and Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill will do the work of anti-corruption watchdog in Judiciary without bringing judiciary under Lokpal 

Source:http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/judiciary-out-grp-a-b-staff-included-in-lokpal_741930.html 

Lokpal Bill on govt agenda for winter session

 The government on Wednesday (november 16 2011) said its legislative agenda for the winter session of parliament that includes the Lokpal Bill and Whistle Blower Protection Bill. 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the session, starting Nov 22, will have 21 sittings.He hoped the parliamentary standing committee examining the bill will be able to submit its report by Dec 1. 
 

The minister also gave a list of 31 bills that the government intends to pass during the winter session that ends Dec 21.  Bansal also met chief whips of all political parties to discuss the issues they wanted to take up during the session. 

"Political parties want to discuss issues like price rise, black money, division of states, energy security, corruption, situation in Afghanistan, earthquake in Sikkim and also issues concerning the farmers," he added.
Anna Hazare has threatened to go on a hunger strike again if the government does not pass the bill in the winter session. 
Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/lokpal-bill-on-govt-agenda-for-winter-session_742165.html

Uttarakhand Assembly passed Lokayukta Bill

BACKGROUND: Passing of Lokayukat bill in a state means that an anti-corruption ombudsman organization known as Lokayukat will be there in that state headed by the Lokpal at Center level.


NEWS: Lokayukta Bill has been passed by thr Uttarakhand Assembly. Team Anna  said that the passed by Uttarakhand Assembly is "in full spirit of Jan Lokpal Bill".
This  Lokayukta Bill passed by Uttarakhand Assembly have a provision of life imprisonment for those found guilty of corruption. It will also bring the lower judiciary under the ambit of the Lokayukta.
It also provides sweeping powers to the proposed five-member Lokayukta, including separate investigation and prosecution wings. All public servants, including the chief minister, have been brought under its purview.

 "Congratulations. Uttrakhand is the first state which has passed a Lokayukta Bill unanimously in the Assembly. It's in full spirit of Jan Lokpal Bill," Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said.

Three other non-Congress ruled states — Bihar, Orissa and Punjab — are in touch with Team Anna for overhauling their Lokayukta institutions.


Sources: http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/uttarakhands-lokayukta-bill-in-full-spirit-of-jan-lokpal/883484.html
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/3-more-BJP-states-going-Jan-Lokpal-way/Article1-762978.aspx

Full text: PM's letter to Anna Hazare

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday wrote a letter to anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, reiterating the commitment of the government to an effective Lokpal Bill.

Here is the full text of the letter:

Dear Mr Anna Hazare 

Thank you for your letter dated September 21, 2011. I am glad you made me aware of your thoughts on several important issues.

As you know, we are committed to an effective Lokpal law and we hope to succeed in it in near future. Our government is also working on a comprehensive agenda to eradicate corruption and improve the governance. Several legal, executive and technical aspects would be included in it. The establishment of Lokpal is a part of this comprehensive agenda itself.

Our government is also considering several recommendations concerning electoral reforms. Among the recommendations that are being considered, you have talked about the Right to Recall. In a democratic society, getting political consensus on some issues is a must. We want to discuss several recommendations concerning electoral reforms with other political parties and act on the ones that are broadly agreed upon.

I completely agree with you on the issue of empowering the Gram Sabha. We are committed to implement the 73rd and 74th amendment of the constitution. We are constantly striving to work along with state governments to fulfill the dream of empowering the Gram Sabhas in the real sense.

I thank you again for your suggestions.

With good wishes, 

Yours,

Manmohan Singh

Source
http://www.scribd.com/doc/68347932/PM-to-Annaji (real letter)

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/full-text-pms-letter-to-anna-hazare/192145-53.html 

http://twitter.com/#!/janlokpal

Team Anna 'referendum' on Jan Lokpal in Sonia's constituency

 Stepping up pressure on lawmakers, Team Anna would conduct surveys to assess public perception on Jan Lokpal Bill in Amethi and Rae Bareli, pocketborough of Nehru-Gandhi family, and other prominent parliamentary constituencies of UP and Uttarakhand ahead of winter session of Parliament.

"The time till Parliament's winter session (November) is important as the Standing Committee considering the Lokpal bill will hear views of various groups on this issue," Anna Hazare's associate and civil society activist Manish Sisodiya said here.

The first question in the "referendum" will be whether the MPs should support the Jan Lokpal bill proposed by Anna Hazare or not and the second question will be on whether people should vote for those MPs who have opposed the Bill, Sisodiya said.


Copied From:http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-09-25/news/30200880_1_team-anna-lokpal-bill-anna-hazare