New Delhi:
At a press conference this evening, the ministers who are on the Drafting Committee of the Lokpal Bill explained the highlights of their draft of the Bill - it differs radically from the draft prepared by the five activists who are headed by Anna Hazare and are also members of the Drafting Committee.
"Can we have a parallel investigative agency outside the government answerable to nobody outside the framework of the constitution? This is the fundamental issue that the people of this country will have to decide," said Kapil Sibal, a senior minister on the committee.
These are some of the features that the ministers have offered for the Lokpal - an 11-member committee that will serve as an ombudsman to check corruption.
- Lokpal can take suo moto notice and order investigations
- Lokpal will have quasi-judicial powers
- Lokpal's Investigation Officer will have complete police powers
- Declaration of assets of public servants is mandatory
- Lokpal will have independent probe and prosecution wing