Jan Lokayukta Bill in next session, says Kejriwal

The AAP government has prepared the ‘Jan Lokayukta Bill’ and would table it in the next session of the Assembly, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday.

“Jan Lokayukta Bill almost ready. We shud be able to present it in next session of assembly,” Kejriwal tweeted.

The Chief Minister had quit in his first term as Delhi Chief Minister after he failed to table the bill.

The name of the bill is noteworthy as AAP had promised to pass a ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’ in its manifesto. All public officials including the Chief Minister other Ministers and MLAs would fall within its purview, it had said. “<g data-gr-id="17">Time bound</g> investigation shall be introduced in corruption cases. Charges of corruption against Ministers, MLAs and Secretaries will be completed in a time frame ranging between six months and a year,” the manifesto read.

Earlier this month, the AAP government had sent a list of five former judges to the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court for the post of Lokayukta, which has been lying vacant since November 2013. As per provision of the existing Delhi Lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act, only a Chief Justice or a high court judge having seven years of experience are eligible for Lokayukta’s post.