Lokpal may get constitutional status.

The congress is planning to give constitutional status to lokpal. It appears good as it will vanish all the constitutional related flaws in the bill , but as per Team Anna and BJP this will make the bill's implementation late.

As per our Constitution if there is a 'want' of amendment in the constitution then there is a need  a two-thirds majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in favour of amendment.Team Anna and BJP are saying that this can't be achieved  as UPA does not have majority in either house: in the Rajya Sabha, it does not even have a simple majority.
But the flip side of this argument, Congress sources point out, is that surely the Opposition parties, who have put the government on the mat on the issue of corruption, would like to make the proposed law as strong as possible and cannot afford, therefore, to oppose giving the Lokpal constitutional status.


It appears to be idea of Rahul Gandhi which he introduced in August in a speech in Parliament. In his speech in August, “We speak of a statutory Lokpal but our discussions cease at the point of its accountability to the people and the risk that it might itself become corrupt. Madam Speaker, why not elevate the debate and fortify the Lokpal by making it a constitutional body accountable to Parliament like the Election Commission of India?”

The two former CJIs (whose draft is presented before standing commitee) explained that the proposed amendment could be passed in a single day. When members pointed out that the states would have to ratify the amendment, the retired CJIs reportedly explained that the proposed amendment would not need ratification of the states.

Editor's view:  Well its not a bad thing to give this bill a constitutional status but it appears to be a bad Idea when there is a risk of rejection of this amendment. We really need a middle way out
source http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2535276.ece

House should prioritise Lokpal Bill: BJP

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said Parliament should set aside all business and pass a strong Lokpal Bill at the earliest so that questions raised over the credibility of Legislature are answered.He wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying it would be "arrogance and stupidity" on part of the Legislature to ignore the tremendous public anger against corruption 


"The rights and power of Parliament should not represent stubbornness. He said that before the spark of public anger reaches the seat of democracy, "it is my request that we should set aside all legislative work and take up Lokpal Bill.


Edited From: http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/chunk-ht-ui-homepage-topstories/House-should-prioritise-Lokpal-Bill-BJP/Article1-735299.aspx

Anna's Response to government "undemocratic' behavior

The Delhi Police had sent a letter to Team Anna on Saturday asking them to give an undertaking agreeing to a list of 22 conditions. These included restricting Hazare’s fast to three days, and a cap of 5,000 persons at the proposed venue, Jai Prakash Narain Memorial park.

 Shanti Bhushan,  said while they agreed with most other conditions, such as not resorting to violence, making arrangements for water, mobile toilets, electricity, not giving inflammatory speeches, and so on, they cannot limit the fast to three days and 5,000 people. He said those two demands are unconstitutional.

Anna on Saturday,13 August 2011 showed fire in response to Government's's restrictions for fast.
Anna Hazare has said that he will go ahead with his fast on August 16 and court arrest if necessary. 


Hazare shot off a letter to prime minister Manmohan Singh, questioning  that  “By denying us permission to protest, are you and your government not violating our fundamental rights? Are you not taking away our freedom two days before the nation’s Independence day? With what face would you unfurl the national flag on the nation’s 65th Independence Day,” 

He also asked in letter  “government is trying to crush those who raise their voice against corruption. This is happening more often in your government. Does it look good if you crush the fundamental rights of the people by murdering democracy and violating the Constitution?” 


Team Anna also challenged government that they would go ahead with the agitation anyway, daring the government to do “whatever it wanted”.


Anna also accused the UPA government of deceiving them on the issue of the Lokpal Bill, and said he regretted ending his fast in April.


Kiran Bedi accused the Delhi Police of being “dictated by the government in power.”  


Asked what they will do if the government uses force to break his fast, Hazare said that “people will respond” if force is used. 
Reacting to the US State Department’s comments yesterday(friday) , Hazare said it was the “wrong actions” of the Indian government that emboldened the American government to “interfere in India’s internal matters.”


Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_government-cheated-us-says-anna-hazare_1575649

Team Anna to take out vehicle rally today (august 9 2011)

Anna Hazare will flag off a car and bike rally in the city on Tuesday morning to drum up support for Civil Society’s version of Lokpal Bill, said the activist’s NGO, Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan. The rally, which has been planned in association with India Against Corruption, will begin from Dadar (East) and end at Azad Maidan. Brace up for tailbacks in south Mumbai as the event has been planned during the rush hour traffic of 9 am. A confrontation between Hazare’s supporters and the Mumbai traffic police is likely as the latter has not given permission for the rally. Members of Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan said that they were expecting at least 200 cars and motorcycles. “We are expecting an overwhelming response. Hazare himself will flag off the event,” a youth coordinator of India Against Corruption, Naresh Thakur, said. “We will take him around the city in a convoy.” Civil Society member Arvind Kejriwal is also expected to join Hazare. “As per my knowledge, no permission has been given to them,” said Additional Police Commissioner (traffic) Brijesh Singh. Col Ramesh Vasudev, the trustee of Hazare’s NGO (Mumbai division), said that they would not back out. “It’s a fight against corruption, so we will take out the vehicle rally. Let the police take action against us; if needed, we will court arrest,” he said.

Copied From

 http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/201108092011080902495670631c7345b/Team-Anna-to-take-out-vehicle-rally-today.html

WEAK BILL -lacks main authority-

The cabinet on Thursday(july 28 2011) finished drafting the Lokpal bill aimed at curbing graft in the government, but activists slammed it saying it was not tough enough to fight widespread corruption which poses a risk to economic growth.

1. The bill seeks to set up a Lokpal to investigate charges of corruption against ministers and lawmakers, but does not cover the prime minister, judges and bureaucrats.

Slamming the bill as too weak because it did not cover the prime minister and judges, Anna Hazare, the social activist whose hunger strike in April forced the government to begin drafting the bill, said he would begin a second fast against corruption on 16 august, raising the sceptre of a fresh wave of anti-government protests.

"They have not cheated Anna Hazare, they have cheated the country's people," said Anna Hazare, 

"People have to take this as another battle for independence and take to the streets to fight corruption."

"For this reason I, along with the entire nation, will sit on protest ... till I have no life in my body.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has taken on the government over graft, said it did not "appreciate" the non-inclusion of the prime minister in the bill.

WHAT I THINK : If there would be no powerful authority in the lokpal then how the hell lokpal will manage 

CORRUPTION because corruption has a wide powerful political n underworld support.

What U thinK: please post comments.


Sincere Source:http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/07/29/idINIndia-58506620110729

Request to BJP for perfect bill.(Post-meets 0.1 )

Civil society activist Anna Hazare on Friday held a meeting with the top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party to discuss his draft of the Lokpal Bill. After one-and-a-half hour meeting at the BJP headquarters in Delhi there was a consensus between his team and the BJP over the formation of a strong and effective Lokpal.


"good and fruitful" Said Anna about the meeting 


"In our discussions, the drafts of the Jan Lokpal Bill and the government draft were discussed. It was felt that there is a need for more debate for a strong Lokpal Bill," Hazare said.
 He said he had requested BJP leaders that when the bill comes up in Parliament, leaders like Arun Jaitley, Advani and Sushma Swaraj should argue strongly for it.


Edited From: http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-hazare-calls-meeting-with-bjp-good-and-fruitful/20110701.htm

Independence day, Deadline for Bill: civil society demands

Anna Hazare has vowed to go on another fast unto death from 16 August if the Lokpal Bill was not passed by Parliament by 15 August.saying that the government is creating artificial obstacles to smooth functioning of the drafting committee as it did not want to yield ground on the black money issue. 

Lokpal drafting committee also challenged the government to conduct a referendum on the citizen's support to Jan Lokpal Bill. 

"Let there be a referendum in the country on the Lokpal Bill prepared by the government and the Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by the civil society. Let the one that has maximum support of people be passed in Parliament,"  said Prashant Bhushan

But government criticised setting  15 august the deadline, saying law making is not at will. Law making is a functioning of a process . 

Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs Ashwani Kumar hit out at Hazare for resorting to "fast-to-death at the drop of a hat".

Indicating that law enactment is a lengthy process, Kumar said one has to discuss the bill with stake-holders, assimilate everybody's view and also see "what the Constitution permits, laws permit".

He said one has to understand that there are "competing priorities in governance".

"You cannot in the garb of being a crusader against corruption undermine the established institutions of Parliamentary democracy".  Kumar said

Edited From  http://www.domain-b.com/people/in_the_news/20110608_anna_hazare.html and 

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_legislation-doesnt-take-place-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-govt-tells-anna-hazare_1553597

What happened in the meeting?

See this topic in the header of the site
.

Fill forms before DHRANA PRADHARASAN (protest) : Mayawati

The UP government implemented guidelines imposing procedure on protests. According to 'Guideline' before democratic or political protest in UP the participants should file a form giving details about the protest
like


1 Name of the organiser   2 His full address  3 Phone number  4 Nature and site of the programme


5 Route of the processions or rally    6  Timing   7 Strength of participants    8 Details of VIPs, if any.


So protest or rally can't be processed without Permission of authorities and undertaking from the organisers that they will maintain peace and not damage public property and disrupt traffic and public services.


Not damaging the public property is the only 'correct' part but 
but others appear 'corrupt'! 
Because now we have to take a permission from those offices and 
politiations because of whose choked drafts and corrupt processes and love and affection (with our money!), we are on the way to demand for a lokpal bill!
What kind of democracy we are living in that we can't even protest?? 


News from: www.indianexpress.com/news/maya-govt-issues-guidelines-for-holding-protests/782751/

Parliament is supreme: Anna Hazare ( But!)

“We will have to accept it. We believe in democracy,” Mr. Hazare said in reply to a question on what would be his stand if Parliament rejected the Lokpal Bill drafted jointly by the government and representatives of the civil society.
 
But then he also added some backtracking statements on April 18 2011 
On targeting parliament voting he said "Parties that vote against the bill will be eventually hurting their popularity and exposing their mala fide intentions. In such an event, we will again take to streets," 


he also commented on what could have happen if deadline for implementing bill is violated 
"Even the government has admitted that it is realistic for Parliament to deliberate and take a decision on the JLB by the August 15 deadline set by me. Thus failure of this deadline will invite mass protests by the people," he said.


Edited from:  http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article1703942.ece 

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_anna-hazare-backtracks-will-agitate-if-bill-not-passed-by-august-15_1533372

Joint drafting committee members

The five nominee Ministers of the Government of India are:Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee (Chairman of the committee); Home Minister  P Chidambaram; Law Minister M Veerappa Moily;Telecom Minister  Kapil Sibal; and  Water Resources Minister Salman Khursheed. 
AND The five nominees of civil society are : Anna Hazare(but not as a chairman); Justice N Santosh Hegde; Shanti Bhushan Senior Advocate; Prashan Bhushan Advocate and anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal. 


Edited from:  http://sms.soberz.net/news-sms/joint-drafting-committee-members/

Joint drafting committee meeting

Joint drafting committee likely to meet next week i.e on April 12
The ten-member committee comprising ministers and members of the civil society will get down to preparing the draft of the anti-corruption bill.

The draft bill is likely to be ready by June end because the government intends to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill in the monsoon session of the Parliament that begins in July.

Edited from: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/jan-lokpal-bill-joint-drafting-committee-likely-to-meet-next-week-97486?pfrom=home-India&cp