President gives nod to historic anti-graft bill

Agencies/New Delhi

Parliament saw rare unity last month when the ruling Congress and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) approved the anti-graft law, called the Lokpal and Lokayukta’s Bill.

The bill sets up an ombudsman at the federal level with powers to prosecute politicians and civil servants. Similar institutions will be created in Indian states.

Mukherjee’s final approval of the law comes as the world’s largest democracy gears up for general elections due by May.

Voters have become increasingly incensed by a string of corruption scandals that have engulfed the nation.

Anti-graft hero Arvind Kejriwal, now Delhi chief minister, and his upstart Aam Aadmi Party, whose mission is to clean up pervasive corruption and create a “bribe-free India,” trounced the Congress Party in Delhi state polls last month.

Kejriwal, 45, was a key member of the grass-roots anti-corruption movement launched by 76-year-old social crusader Anna Hazare who demanded the tough law back in 2011. Legislation was stalled by political bickering and debate about the extent of the bill’s scope.

The Congress-led federal government has been hit by a series of multi-billion dollar graft scandals, from allegations of illegal distribution of cut-price telecom licences to the 2010 corruption-tainted Commonwealth Games.

Here are some of the main features of the new law:

♦ The Lokpal and Lokayukta will have powers to direct and supervise preliminary inquiries into allegations of corruption against government officials and ministers.

♦ The Lokpal will be a seven- or eight-member body, members of which will be appointed by the president on the recommendation of a selection panel comprising the prime minister, the speaker of the Lok Sabha, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, the chief justice of India and an eminent jurist.

♦ The chairman will be a current or former judge of the Supreme Court, while 50% of members will be drawn from the judiciary and the rest will consist of eminent people with specialised knowledge in fields such as anti-corruption policy, public administration, oversight, finance and so on.

♦ Fifty percent of members must be from backward castes, tribal communities, minorities and women.

♦ The members must not be affiliated to any political party, must not have been involved in any offence, and must be at least 45 years old.

♦ The prime minister will come under ambit of the Lokpal except on specific matters including international relations, security issues, atomic energy and space.

♦ The bill lays down clear timelines for inquiry, investigation and trial.

♦ The Lokpal shall order an investigation only after hearing the public servant involved.