Revised draft adds PM, Opp. leader
The revised draft of the Jan Lokpal Bill, put forth by the civil society at the meeting of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal on Saturday, has amendments to the original bill and provides for inclusion of Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha in the committee to select Lokpal and its members. It also proposes to give the body power to intercept telephones and internet communication.
Notwithstanding the reservations of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, the new draft retained the original provision to bring judges of the higher judiciary within the ambit of the Lokpal. Mr Hazare had suggested keeping out judges of the higher judiciary from the Lokpal on the ground that there has to be an authority to deliver verdict on the cases that will come up and that authority cannot be subservient to Lokpal.
Interestingly, the new bill provides for two “youngest judges” of Supreme Court and two “youngest” Chief Justices of high courts in place of “senior-most” in their category as suggested in the first draft.
Two other categories have also been removed from the selection panel, chairperson of NHRC and retired Army personnel in the rank of five-star generals.
New Section 13C inserted in the fresh draft provides for an appropriate bench of Lokpal to intercept telephone and internet communication.
“Such bench will be empowered to approve interception and monitoring of messages of data or voice transmitted through telephones, internet or any other medium as covered under India Telegraph Act, read with Information and Technology Act 2000 and as per the rules and provisions made under Indian Telegraph Act 1885,” the provision reads.
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