Himachal to bring fresh bill for strong Lokayukta: Virbhadra

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today assured the Legislative Assembly that his government would bring a fresh bill for a "strong Lokayukta" in the state.
Intervening in the debate on the budget for 2014-15, the Chief Minister said, "Since the Lokpal Bill has been passed by the Centre, the state will bring a bill to strengthen the existing Lokayukta."
The previous BJP government, headed by Prem Kumar Dhumal, had passed a bill to amend the Lokayukta Act of 1983 in the absence of then opposition Congress in the Assembly.
"The bill sent to the president for consent by the previous dispensation has been withdrawn by the present government," said an official.

The new bill will seek to repeal the existing act and replace it with another to make it more effective in dealing with corruption, said the official.