Lokpal Bill

The Delhi High Court on Monday listed for hearing on February 20 the appeal by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Sibu Soren against an order refusing to interfere with the proceedings initiated against him by the Lokpal on the basis of a complaint by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. On January 22, a single judge of the high court had rejected the former Jharkhand chief minister's petition against the Lokpal proceedings and the complaint. A bench of Justices Rekha Palli and Sudhir Kumar Jain listed the appeal for hearing on February 20 after the senior counsel for the petitioner was stated to be appearing before another court when the matter was called and a request was made to take up the case after some time. "Taking into account that the regular bench is not sitting today, list tomorrow," the bench said. Subsequently, senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared before the bench on behalf of Soren and said the complaint is also listed before the Lokpal on Tuesday "It (appeal) will come in the ...

The government on Thursday introduced in the Rajya Sabha a contentious bill that seeks to replace the Chief Justice of India with a cabinet minister in the panel for selection of chief election commissioners and election commissioners, amid an uproar by the opposition. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 in the Upper House in the post-lunch session. According to the bill, future chief election commissioners and election commissioners will be selected by a three-member panel headed by the prime minister and comprising the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Cabinet minister. Opposition parties including the Congress and APP have raised strong objections to the bill and accused the government of diluting a Constitution bench order.

The BJP alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party has been deliberately not implementing the Janlokpal Bill and is only misleading people over the issue, a party statement said.

No Lokpal, weakened institutions and stonewalled RTI make it harder to evaluate the govt's actions

Kharge said the government's "double standards in this matter stand exposed" as a similar amendment was made to Delhi Special Police Establishment Act in 2014

The Modi government had urged Kharge to join Thursday's meeting of the Selection Committee as a special invitee

The Lokpal Bill was passed by Parliament in 2013, but the appointment of the anti-corruption ombudsman is stuck

The Lokpal Bill was passed by Parliament in 2013

An amendment bill was moved in the Lok Sabha in December 2014 to remove certain difficulties in the operationalisation of the Act